and you say, stay
by Juni Onigiri
Summary: Todoroki Shouto is the hotshot of Endeavor, Inc, talented in many ways but clueless in plenty of aspects outside of work. Uraraka Ochako is his reliable secretary for the past nine years, a perfect subordinate who does all of his bidding without question. They have a perfect, harmonious relationship together- that is, until Secretary Uraraka tells him, "I'd like to quit my job."
1. For The First Time

Secretary Uraraka Ochako, 29 years old, single, finds herself at the home of award-winning actress Yaoyorozu Momo. She has a bouquet of yellow roses in her arms and a smile that tries its best to deny her pollen allergies.

It's not the best place in the world, but this isn't the worst thing she's had to do all week.

Yaomomo, as her fans and stans have affectionately named her, gives her that award-winning smile and a curious tilt of the head. "Uraraka-san! What a pleasant surprise! What brings you here all across town? And all by yourself?"

Ochako gives her the sunniest smile she can muster as the actress relieves her of the armful of allergens, thanking all the gods that she hasn't sneezed her soul out all over the celebrity. "Director Todoroki is otherwise occupied at the moment. However, he did not want to miss the opportunity to be the first to greet you on your recent best actress nomination, so he sent me here for a visit."

"Is that so?" Momo regards the bouquet with grace, slender fingers picking up the greeting card within it. "And this is from Shouto too, I suppose."

"Yes ma'am," Ochako says, as Momo reads the message within the card. You are a beautiful person inside out. Congratulations. S.T. A very personal message, one that Ochako had deliberated upon and hand-wrote carefully on the ride to the agency.

"That's sweet of you," Momo says with a serene smile. Putting down the bouquet next to her, she looks at Ochako with a knowing raise of one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You have something else to say."

Ochako exhales slowly and gives an executive sort of nod. "Yes, ma'am. Unfortunately."

She pauses to give the actress a moment to brace herself, yet Momo seems more than prepared for this moment as she only motions for her to continue. Well, if she is that prepared, at least they won't be wasting any more time. Without the smile wavering from her face, Ochako announces, "While it pains him to do so, Director Todoroki would like to inform you that he cannot see you anymore. He wishes you all the best in your future aspirations."

She says all of this in a polite, even tone, akin to how one would give a performance report at a business meeting. Funnily enough, Momo listens to her as if she were in the same meeting too-merely an executive at the other end of the table, keeping her composure despite news of her investments dropping in value.

"Is that so," Momo says after a beat of silence. Inhaling quietly, no doubt counting one to ten in her head, she shakes her head and gives another smile, albeit a pained one. Yet, too graceful than the situation deserved. "Thank you for going all this way to tell me this, Uraraka-san."

This isn't the first time Ochako had to do this. After all, it has been exactly thirty days since Yaomomo and Todoroki Shouto, the young Executive Director of Endeavor Inc., started officially dating. Thirty days of going out in formal events and stuffy parties, smiling politely for the cameras and answering insipid questions about their relationship for the magazines, dealing with paparazzi and the unsavory showbiz rumor mill.

It has also been thirty days of Director Todoroki subtly pushing Momo's hands off of his arm as soon as the cameras are away, and thirty days of Ochako buying the actress jewelry on behalf of her boss and his credit card to keep her happy.

Ochako came prepared for the worst. She'd had to deal with meltdowns and insults and threats to her employer's good name. All things considered, Yaoyorozu Momo simply removing the 18-karat white gold diamond encrusted necklace that Director Todoroki gave her during the last awards ceremony is one of the most elegant ways to handle rejection that Ochako has ever seen.

"All in all, I expected this," the actress tells her in a careful tone. "It must have been a bad sign that it was our fathers who pushed us into this relationship. I wonder if I could have done more to keep him interested, though."

Dammit, she's too good for this. Ochako finds herself wondering if she could have done more to convince Director Todoroki to think about this further. Then again, it isn't worth the argument. Her boss has always insisted that relationships are a distraction from his work, and simply an inefficient way to spend his time.

Ochako smiles at her, sincerely this time. "Yaoyorozu-san, it isn't you. Simply put, he's a brat. You gave him more patience than he deserved."

"You shouldn't say things like that about your boss," Momo says, with a laugh. "Still, I wondered if I gave it enough time, I could have melted that icy barrier he seems to always have around him, Uraraka-san."

"Maybe," Ochako says, probably much more honest than what is appropriate, "but take it from someone who's had to work for him for as long as I have. You really don't want to see past his 'cool exterior'."

Director Todoroki is famous for more than just his intelligence, finesse, and keen business sense. His icy exterior, paired with that beautiful face, gets a lot of people hoping to be the one to melt it. It seems that not even Yaomomo is immune to that sort of fantasy. Yet Ochako knows that behind that pretty face is a twenty-nine year old child who'd probably die immediately once left alone. Whether it's through a traffic accident from seeing a cat in the streets, malnutrition from eating nothing but cold soba, or dying simply to spite his father.

The Director is blissfully unaware of his inability to function like a sensible adult, however (case in point, this situation right here). Ochako's full time job doesn't even give her the luxury to pretend like he is.

Momo gives an affirmative sound. Her hand cups the contour of her perfectly symmetrical face in interest. "That's right. You've been his secretary for… five years?"

"Nine years," Ochako answers, suppressing a sigh. "Yaoyorozu-san, you are easily my favorite among all the people he's had to date, so I hope you trust me when I say that you dodged a bullet. I worked for him for a long time, and I've never ever seen him take anyone seriously. You also know how he gets about people touching him. Plus all he thinks about at any given point in time are one of the three things: work, work, and work, so I don't think a relationship with him would be good for anyone."

Well, he also thinks a lot about his snobby cat, Victoria. Oh, and tormenting Ochako with care of said cat.

Momo hums, dark eyes perusing her carefully. "He does seem to only care about work and not much else. But you touch him quite frequently, don't you, Uraraka-san?"

Ochako blinks once, and shakes her head. "Me? Not at all."

The actress smiles at her patiently. "But you do. And when we're together for our dates, he speaks to you more than he does to me."

Chasing after the absent-minded Director with a lint roller for his suit, frequently readjusting his tie for him, and doing every single one of his biddings don't count. Ochako laughs awkwardly. "Well, he doesn't see me as a person, much less a woman. So you don't have to worry about that."

It definitely isn't the first time that Ochako has been accused of having an affair with her boss. She hopes she doesn't have to defend herself in front of Yaomomo. She's just sick of all the jealousy for 'monopolizing' Director Todoroki's attention. Ah, if only they knew.

Thankfully, the actress does not pursue the topic any further. "Thank you for your courtesy, Uraraka-san. I wish the same for Shouto… I mean, the Director," she says, and adds after a thoughtful pause, "... and you. The two of you."

The knowing smile remains on her mouth. Ochako only returns this with her most professional smile and bids her farewell.

Well, Yaomomo might have meant something entirely different with her words, but with what Ochako is about to do that evening, she could use all the well-wishes she can get.

"At the end of the day, nine years is just nine years," she mumbles to herself, as she takes a taxi back to the Endeavor Towers at the center of the city.

* * *

Director Todoroki Shouto, 29 years old, single, is one of the youngest major executives of Endeavor Inc, one of the biggest conglomerates in Japan. It's not as impressive as it sounds since he's also the fourth child of Todoroki Enji, the man who owns it, but he's earning his rep as much as he can.

He begins a typical productive day waking up in the penthouse of Endeavor Towers. It's a lot smaller than his own space in the family estate, but it's only a few floors above where he works all day so it's pretty convenient. Also, he has total control of the security there and only allows a handful of people in-his bodyguard/chauffeur Shoji, his personal chef Sato, Midoriya (but only if there's work to be done), and of course, Secretary Uraraka, who is required to be there the moment he wakes up. Having his privacy is great, and not having that annoying old man there makes it a hundred times better.

If he didn't entrust Victoria in Secretary Uraraka's care for any reason, the British Shorthair would be gently tapping his face with her royal paw at around six in the morning. He gets up, brush his teeth, and then take a shower infused with vitamins and minerals designed to give him energy. He spends twenty minutes eating breakfast cooked by Sato and dresses up for work afterward.

Having been there since five in the morning, Secretary Uraraka meets him in his dressing room, ready with her choice of his clothing for the day. In that particular morning, she chose midnight blue and grey. "I deemed this appropriate for the conservative group we are meeting today at nine," she says, tying a Windsor knot around his neck with ease. "We are expecting a long day. Will you take any caffeine today?"

"Ristretto, exactly 2.5 fluid ounces, 87 degrees centigrade, no sugar."

Uraraka nods, signalling Sato behind them, mouthing demitasse as she is supposed to. "And about Yaoyorozu Momo—"

"Yes, I'm aware of the upcoming Daytime Drama Awards," he says with a huff. "Best actress and Best Onstage Kiss, right? As well as Best Ensemble Cast for their performance in The Goddess of Creation-"

Uraraka gives him her standard customer service smile. Her eyes flash meaningfully as she says,"That, and her birthday is coming up. Will you give her anything?"

Shouto keeps himself from muttering under his breath. Shit, he almost forgot. "Just the yellow roses. Don't mention her birthday."

Just the yellow roses, meaning it's time to let her go.

Secretary Uraraka blinks, eyes flashing again, but her smile does not waver as she gives a half-bow. "Understood."

It's been a month or so since he appeared in public with Yaoyorozu. Endeavor has been pushy about him seeing her, given her looks, talent, and old money background. He would have refused to do it, except that Yaoyorozu was a decent person from University and he didn't want to make things difficult with her and her own pushy parents.

But she won't make his work any easier, and she deserved better. He supposes this is an acceptable time to end things amicably. Well, as amicably as a break-up via proxy can get.

They make their way to work down the elevator to the main building, with Uraraka listing their daily agenda from her neat plastic file folder. An array of salarymen and women whose names he can't quite recall bow to him all the way to his office. When he makes it to his desk with a view of the city, the priority documents are already arranged neatly in front of his seat, 5 cm away from the edge as is his preference.

"All right. Let's get to work," Shouto says, twisting his wrists in anticipation.

"Yes, Director." Uraraka does that polished half-bow again and takes her place beyond the glass doors of his office.

When she leaves, he easily goes into the rhythm of office work. It gets dull from time to time, and when his eyes wander, he sees her with her eyes focused on her desktop computer, no doubt working on the next project proposal.

Efficient, accomplished, no complaints. The sight of someone working hard to keep up with him fills him with determination.

The rest of the day is a whirlwind of activities—an executive meeting with the board, another meeting with the legal office, a teleconference with their associates from India. He only remembers to eat lunch when Uraraka gets back from her assignment at Yaoyorozu's and reminds him to eat the vegetables that Chef Sato prepared along with his soba. And then it's more paperwork and meetings, and then evening comes and they both have to rush to a social event.

Shouto goes back to his penthouse, spends about an hour playing with Victoria, grooms himself and changes into a tuxedo. When he's done, Uraraka meets him at the lobby. She's garbed in something made of pink chiffon the same shade as her round cheeks, with just enough jewelry to make her look acceptable in this group of socialites without being too overboard.

"The Milan group will be arriving at the M hotel fundraiser in approximately twenty-eight minutes," Uraraka tells him, her pink-padded fingers flying up to his bow tie in efficient movements.

"Let Midoriya entertain them first. We shouldn't take too long, though," Shouto says, as Uraraka straightens out his collar and wipes his shoulders free of any micro-creases that her laser eyes may have detected.

The quiet Shoji takes them to the event after that. The drive takes them twenty-nine minutes instead of twenty due to traffic, probably longer if Uraraka hadn't navigated them through the side streets. It's good that she's there to get them out of the imminent gridlock. He supposed the fact that she commutes daily to work is useful in situations like this.

Eventually they make it to the ostentatious lobby of the hotel, where the equally ostentatious fundraiser is being held. Shouto knows that a famous celebrity photographer called Spiral is auctioning off his photos, and that all proceeds are going to go into educating orphans or something. He supposes he should care more about orphans-orphans are always a good cause to support, even though his last brush with orphans earned him the unsavory title of five pee-pee man-but right now all he is concerned about is that Milan group lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to find them.

And he didn't mean to steal everyone's attention away from the auction, but it isn't his fault that he's so eye-catching. With his heterochromatic eyes and hair and the scar and all. If it were up to him he'd get rid of the red, scarred half of his body, but then again his most important business partners tend to look for any signs of Todoroki Enji in him, so he can't do that just yet.

Holding on to his right arm, Uraraka subtly pulls him toward a certain direction away from a flock of women looking his way. "I can see Chief Midoriya over there."

They begin to approach the mess of green hair at the other end of the ballroom. He seems to be doing a decent job entertaining them with tales about his idol, Governor Yagi (which is the usual Midoriya fare). Or at least, the polite Italians seem to be doing a good job of listening to his impassioned speech.

In any case, when Uraraka clears her throat behind him, Midoriya turns his freckled face and gives them a large, sunny smile. "Oh! And here's the Director, just in time!"

"_Buona sera_," Shouto greets the guests with a smile of his own. "_I hope you weren't waiting for too long_," he says in fluent Italian.

"_Not at all_," the leader tells him, and proceeds in various small talk about how they love the city, the food, the women, etcetera. It's all small talk that he's able to respond to flawlessly, yet Shouto notices the way they eye Secretary Uraraka at this last part, which gives him pause. One of them says something in Italian about her alluring looks, and asking her candidly if he can get her a drink.

Unfazed, Uraraka merely smiles and tucks a bit of her auburn hair behind her left ear. Somehow the man steps back, takes a good look at Shouto's stare, and says nothing more.

"_If you don't mind_," Shouto tells them, after adjusting the sudden harshness of his tone, "_let's talk about partnership._"

It can't exactly be called a business meeting since all of it is informal, yet it's equally important all the same. As bothersome as socializing is, it's important to impress investors with more than just numbers and data. All in all It is an easy and straightforward conversation, and Shouto managed to get their confidence in their business partnership without much trouble. After a toast and a round of handshakes, Shouto allows them to have their fill of the rest of the party while he retreats to his own company.

"That went smoothly," Midoriya tells him with a congratulatory pat on his back. "Congrats on getting them to say yes. They're notoriously hard to deal with, but also notoriously loyal."

"Of course," he replies with a sip of his whisky. Shouto wasn't expecting any other answer than yes. He knows he's that good.

"Gotta say, I was a little worried for you back there," the green-haired Chief says. "You seemed close to losing your temper."

Shouto gives him a bored stare. "You must be mistaken."

Midoriya laughs and glances at Secretary Uraraka's direction. "Maybe I was."

Oh, speaking of which. "Uraraka, I didn't know you knew Italian."

Uraraka gives him a bright smile. "Apart from the types of pasta, I don't know a word of Italian."

"But you understood that that person was offering you a drink." He wouldn't have minded the flirting in an ordinary setting, but it's a waste of time in this one. It's a relief that he didn't have to deal with it during the conversation.

She shrugs. "It's obvious he was flirting. Even if I don't really get what's going on, all I have to do is this."

She tucks her hair behind her ear again, much the same way she did before. Shouto wonders what her white sapphire earrings have to do with anything, until Midoriya laughs at her in awe. "Hey, now when did you get married, Uraraka-san?"

There's a silver band on her ring finger, with obvious fake diamonds on them that she shows off with pride. "Since I won this at company day last year. It's saved me a lot of trouble in the past."

"Wow, you're really ready for everything, aren't you?" Midoriya says with a dreamy sigh. "No offense to Secretary Hagakure, since she's pretty great too, but I'm so jealous of the Director for having a secretary like you! You're like, a whole other level of efficient."

Of all the things to be jealous of, Midoriya picks his secretary. What then about his skills and unparalleled genius in business? Shouto doesn't hide his offense at that.

"Oh, don't worry director, you're pretty good at that too. No question," the green-haired executive says with a bright smile. "You'll be CEO in no time. I'm sure of it."

It's mere flattery if it came from anybody else but Midoriya, who has been by his side since business school. He accepts the compliment.

So the night wears on. Shouto poses for a few more pictures, talks to as few people as possible (which is still a lot-politicians, celebrities, models who want his attention and who are good potential business partners), and excuses himself when the threshold for politeness has been reached. Shoji comes to pick him and Uraraka up, and he collapses at the back of the limo feeling pretty pleased with himself.

"That went well," he tells her as he pulls off the bowtie and allows himself to breathe properly. His voice is a little sore from talking too much, but it's all worth it in the end.

"Agreed, Director," Uraraka says with a nod. "You were exceptional in dealing with everyone tonight. I'm sure this will be good for the company."

"Objectively speaking, yes, I was good." He really is getting better at talking to people and sealing deals, so he's proud of himself. "You did well too, Uraraka."

She gives a cheery smile. "No, I could have done better. As you said, I need more accent training for my English."

It's a minor detail, pronouncing '_business_' as _bijiness_, but Shouto is a stickler for details and perfection and Uraraka needs to address that problem. Still, if he had to rate her performance tonight it'd be a good solid 98.65%, which is pretty impressive for a high stakes event such as this.

Feeling very generous, he tells her, "Since you did a great job tonight, I can give you one thing you want. Anything at all."

Uraraka looks up at him in mild surprise. "Anything?"

Shouto nods, even gives her that little smile that women like, for some reason. "Just say the word."

He wonders how she can make her eyes sparkle like that, when they're brown like chocolate and there's only the city lights rushing past them to give her any light. Still, she continues to glow, her pink cheeks lighting up impossibly, pink-padded fingers tapping her chin in excitement.

It's only out of pure impulse that Shouto said anything like that at all, but there's a second between one heartbeat and the next when he's sure he really will give her anything she wants. A new car, a new apartment, a new wardrobe, a better ring for her finger that isn't as cheap as the one she's wearing now. Heck, if she asked for it, he'd be willing to even give her a day off. And he'd pay for whatever it is that his secretary wants to do in her spare time. All she has to do is say the word, and-

"I've decided," she says, after a moment. "Director Todoroki,"

Shouto nods, readying his mouth to say_ done,_

"I'd like to quit my job."

His heart pauses again, for an entirely different reason.

Quit her job? This job? Maybe she has some other job, even though it's a breach of her contract to work part-time, but that's the only thing that makes sense.

"I'd like to quit being your secretary," Uraraka repeats with a patient smile.

The city lights blur behind her head, giving him a quick bout of nausea. An unnamed emotion rises to the back of his throat like bile, irrational and unpleasant, one that he refuses to let win.

"Okay. Done."

She smiles at him and bows her head. Her hands come up to her chest as she gives another half-bow. "Thank you very much, Director."

Shouto tries not to show an ounce of hesitation when he asks, "May I ask why you're quitting?"

"Personal reasons," she answers easily, and adds nothing more.

It's nice, brief, and acceptable, just how Shouto likes his answers, but not this situation. For the first time in a long time, he'd like to hear her excuses, apologies, inane reasoning. Anything to make her decision make sense. Anything to make sense of the whirl of unpleasant feelings at the pit of his stomach.

But Uraraka remains silent, eyes staring straight ahead, with no indication of regret or remorse over her words. There's a smile on her face too, one that's too relieved for what she has just said.

For the first time in nine years, Shouto wonders if the smile he knows is merely a mask after all.

* * *

_AN: __To my love safri-surprise and happy birthday! I know it's been a while since I wrote something for these two and I sure hope you enjoy this!_

_I've wanted to make a story of boss!shouto and secretary!uraraka for so long, and I finally got some inspiration for it after binge watching "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim". That said, a lot of this is inspired by that really funny k-drama and I urge you guys to watch it. Or don't! Hehe_.


	2. What Else I Can Do

**Just Another Secretary Story!  
Chapter 2: What Else I Can Do With My Life **

* * *

"Y-you're kidding," Midoriya stammers in awe.

Shouto shakes his head. "Have I ever lied to you before, Midoriya?"

"Never, since I've known you in UA," his former classmate agrees.

It's the morning of the day after Spiral's fundraiser. While he expected to have a better morning because of all the successes last night, he woke up with a terrible headache that neither Victoria, his vitamin-infused shower, nor Sato's award-winning _gâteaux minute au yaourt _were able to soothe. Because Uraraka requested to come in to work at noontime for her personal matters (whatever they were), Shouto has had to pick his own suit and tie his own tie and review his day's agenda by himself.

"So the Bodhisattva of Endeavor Inc, the most patient woman in the world, the angel at the demon Director's side… Uraraka-san's finally resigning. Wow. It's really the end of times."

Midoriya's smile is too amused for the dire situation at hand.

"How are you feeling about that?"

"Neutral."

He's a capable young hotshot, independent and mature, and he can do everything he needs without anyone's help. He's not going to throw a tantrum over anything just because his _absent _secretary won't be there to assist him anymore.

"That so? Well I'm glad you're taking it so well." Midoriya doesn't appear too convinced, though. "Did she tell you why she was resigning?"

"Personal reasons."

"Oh."

"I don't understand the details but that's all she said."

Midoriya ponders about this briefly. "Well, personal reasons are personal reasons. I take it you didn't ask her what they were?"

"No. I didn't expect a satisfactory answer."

Besides, asking for reasons might be mistaken as asking her to stay. A thing he will never do. Todoroki Shouto doesn't beg.

The green-haired executive shrugs. "Maybe? But I think after nine years of working together, she'd give you an honest answer to it. It wouldn't be a problem."

That's just it. It's nine whole years from age twenty to present. Nine years of good, hard work, sleepless nights, and successes one after the other. And she ends it all in one night with a smile on her face.

But she's acting within her rights, so he shouldn't complain. Whatever those personal reasons are, he doubts he would be very interested in them. Anyhow, "What personal reasons could there be to quit a good, stable job you've had for nine years?"

"Oh, plenty," Midoriya answers with a patient smile. "Health, family, a sense of fulfillment... Maybe she wants to write a novel. Or get married to a nice guy."

A muscle twitches under his eye. "Those are unacceptable reasons. She has the best health plan any company can offer, she doesn't have children, and her work-our work-is fulfilling. World-changing. As for the other reasons-"

He pauses. Does Uraraka like writing? He's never seen her read or write anything except things related to work. As for marriage, well. His sudden annoyance at the idea of her marrying an unexceptional man aside, married women are allowed to work at his office, so he doesn't see why that is a problem.

Midoriya only laughs. "But they're _personal, _so you have to accept them. You understood it last night pretty well."

Maybe he did because his guard was so down with his elation from their successes and all that whisky, but now that he's sober he struggles with the sheer absurdity of it all.

"Anyhow, since she's leaving, you have to be prepared for a new secretary. It'll be shaky at first, but I'm sure Uraraka-san will train her well before she leaves you."

Besides the time it will take to find her replacement, Secretary Uraraka is given two weeks to a month to turnover her duties to the new hire. A blank slate prone to mistakes. Already Shouto is dreading going through the process.

Things would be simpler if Uraraka didn't quit and nothing changed. Change is awful. Why must he be subjected to this again? Does he deserve this turmoil?

"So, that's some time to find out what her reasons are," the freckled executive continues brightly. "And maybe, if you find out what they are-"

The little Archimedes sitting dormant in Shouto's brain suddenly screams, _Eureka! _

"Then she doesn't have to quit being my secretary anymore."

"Then you can support her in-huh? Come again, Director?"

That's right. If it's health, he'll offer her the best treatments that Japan has to offer, overseas if he has to. If it's family, he'll compensate her more than enough to support them. If it's work, or a novel, or travel, or whatever, there's always money he can throw to solve those.

If it's marriage, well... that might be difficult, but Shouto has solved every problem that came his way, and this will be no different. There's no reason for Uraraka to throw away nine whole years of good work for any silly personal reason she might have come across.

Best of all, it won't be begging if he has something to offer. How could he have missed it?

"As expected from you, Midoriya. Talking to you in your much smaller office has unexpected productivity benefits. I'll talk to accounting to give you further compensation."

Midoriya falters, a flabbergasted expression on his face. "Th-that isn't really necessary, Director."

"Nonsense. You've earned it." The most pertinent problem of the day addressed (somewhat), the young director stands up from Midoriya's couch and moves to leave. "Well then, break time is over. We should both be attending to our duties now."

"Director." Midoriya bows, strangely defeated. "Nice talk."

Feeling less gloomy than he felt this morning, Shouto returns to his office with a new sense of purpose.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ochako wakes up the same morning feeling more refreshed than usual.

The sunlight hits her face as she sits up from her tiny bed. It's bright out, she's still in bed, and she has places to go. It's gonna be a great day.

She moves about in her messy little apartment, being careful not to trip around her discarded clothes and things as she readies herself for the day. She puts on light make-up, silver earrings and a simple necklace, and puts on her favorite peach silk blouse and pencil skirt. She fixes her hair until the end result of it is respectable but not too flashy. Director Todoroki never likes flashy.

She's amazed that she's able to ask for a few hours off in the morning from Director Todoroki. She's glad that she did such a good job last night that he had no room to say no, and that she plucked up the courage to say that she wants to resign. All it really takes for him to say yes to anything is good results. She didn't think she'd get here, but she finally has room in her life for important things.

So, on to personal reason number one.

With a sense of confidence she's never had before, she enters the bank to fill out a few forms. Her heart is light as she signs her name and date on it and passes it on to the clerk.

"Thank you. Um," the clerk says in mild confusion. "Sorry, your name is Uraraka _Hisho _?"

She blushes furiously and takes back the form with an awkward laugh. "No… it's Uraraka Ochako." Fumbling momentarily with her pen, she erases the characters for _secretary _and replaces them with the ones for _tea _and _child- _her proper legal name.

It's a mistake she makes more commonly than she'd like, but not for long since she's resigning. She'd brag about it to the stunned clerk if she could.

After a few stamps, signatures, and computer logs, the clerk hands her copies of her forms and a receipt. "Your debts have been paid in full. Congratulations, Uraraka-san."

Ochako might have smiled a little too brightly, judging by the way that the clerk and the others around her are visibly taken aback, but she couldn't help it. "Thank you so much," she gushes, and after shaking more hands than necessary, she greets the rush morning traffic with a brightness to her soul.

Nine years of hard work, sleepless nights, blood and tears amounted to this. It cost her her youth and a lot of heartache, but she can look back at all of that without regrets. She can finally call Ma and Pa back home and tell them that she took care of things and there's nothing to worry about anymore.

And she is about to do just that, except her phone vibrates impatiently before she gets to it with a familiar name flashing on the screen. "Director Todoroki," she answers in her business voice.

"Secretary Uraraka. Where are you? You told me I can expect you back at work by eleven."

As blunt and intense as ever. It's ten-thirty according to her wristwatch. "I am on my way back to Endeavor Tower, sir. I will be at your office on schedule."

"You did not answer my question," he replies, to which she gives an impolite grimace through the phone.

Suppressing a sigh, she gives the name of the bank and the exact address. "It's ten minutes away by taxi," she adds, knowing very well that the Director has no sense of the parts of the city he does not frequent.

"Don't move. Shoji is on his way."

"No, that isn't necessary-" Ochako begins, but the line is cut off before she can put in another word. Honestly, would it kill him to say _goodbye _like a normal person?

Ten minutes later, the Bentley comes by the curb. The back door pops open to reveal the Director in all his glory. "Get in. We're going to be late for lunch."

Ochako slides in the back seat with an incredulous look on her face. "You told me you didn't need me to accompany you there, Director."

"Now I need you to," he replies bluntly. "Will that be a problem, Secretary Uraraka?"

Hiding the twitch under her eye, she answers, "Of course not, Director."

Shoji catches her eyes through the rearview mirror. The sullen expression in the quiet bodyguard's face tell a detailed story of the demon Director giving everyone a hard time in the office. Simply put, she just had to do what he says to save both of them the trouble.

_Noted, Shoji-kun, _she replies silently. He appears grateful for it.

And so begins their awkward ride. As they speed off, she decides to adjust the Director's tie for him-it's been a while since he wore one on his own, and it shows. This should be routine, nothing special, but today it was just _weird. _Todoroki's glare is a thousand times more intense today and he won't stop glaring at her right in the face and it just makes her feel like her face is too close to his.

Feeling like she'd catch fire if she took too long with his tie, she fixes it in a hurry and sits at an arm's length away from him.

The strangeness doesn't stop there. She expects to spend the hour drive to the Todoroki estate in their usual, comfortable silence, but somehow the stretch of silence seems a little strained now, and in the middle of it the Director clears his throat and asks, "So. How was your morning? Did you spend it well?"

Is this…. small talk?

Nine years of complaining about small talk and he's suddenly engaging her in _small talk? _She sees that even Shoji is taken aback by this. "... Yes. I was finally able to finish some personal business that needed fixing. Thank you for generously giving me the morning off."

The Director hums thoughtfully. "Your _personal reasons, _" he confirms. When she nods, he adds, "I'm glad that went well, then."

There's a little smirk on his lips when he says that. What is going on with this guy? She doesn't wonder about it for too long though as they make it to the Todoroki Mansion outside of the city.

It's big, sprawling, and overall intimidating. An ordinary person wouldn't know that an estate as big as this existed close to the crowded city, but Ochako knows this place well thanks to the Director and Chairman Todoroki's whims.

At the door, Todoroki Fuyumi welcomes them in with a graceful smile. "Oh, you brought Uraraka-san as well," the older sister says in surprise. "You told me it's just you."

"She was with me. It was merely convenient to bring her along." Ochako tries not to puff her cheeks in offense.

Knowing her baby brother very well, Fuyumi doesn't seem that convinced. "Well, I always like having you here, Uraraka-san. At least Shouto's going to behave better," she adds with a teasing smile directed at her brother, who obviously does not appreciate it. "Let's go, father's waiting."

In the dining room, Todoroki Enji, Chairman of Endeavor Inc, is fuming in his seat. But that's not surprising. Ochako has never seen the older Todoroki wear any other expression for all the years she's known him. "Shouto, what's this I hear about you and the Yaoyorozu girl?"

"Hello, Father, it's nice to see you too," the Director drawls, taking his seat across him. Ochako sits next to him just as the servers place all sorts of entrees in front of them: traditional Japanese food, plus an inordinate amount of zarusoba and kuzumochi. Typical Todoroki household fare.

"Answer my question," Chairman Todoroki rumbles.

Director Todoroki slurps his zarusoba in response.

By now it's easy to imagine fire coming out of all of the holes of the Chairman's head. "Here I took the trouble of finding an appropriate spouse for you, did all the negotiating and all the bothersome work, and you end up wasting my efforts in the most shameful way possible."

"I thought you'd be used to it by now," the Director answers easily. "Yaoyorozu's wasted on me. I did her a favor."

"You don't get to decide," Todoroki Enji says bluntly. "Her father's a good friend of mine who the company owes a lot of favors since I started it. I won't be able to face him after that stupid stunt you just pulled."

The younger one sighs. "I'll make it up to her," he relents.

While the Chairman gives him a barely-satisfied grunt that comes with the expectation of his son getting back together with Yaomomo, Ochako knows that the Director is likely going to send her an apology bottle of wine or something similar. She hopes that he sends Shoji for that errand instead of her for a change.

The Chairman unexpectedly turns to her as she places kuzumochi in her mouth. "And you. Don't just do every single shameless thing that my son asks you to do. If you want to keep your job, you'd do well to use your own discernment and not just his."

That shit _stings _to the highest level, and if it were any other secretary than her, she would have burst into tears. But she's Secretary Uraraka, and she is better than that. "Thank you for your kind advice, Chairman, but you don't need to worry about me. This is my last month of work in your company, so-"

All manner of cutlery falls noisily on their plates. Todoroki Enji and Fuyumi are staring at her in plain shock. Well, she expected this. This is the first time she mentioned her resignation to them after nine years of serving Todoroki Shouto and his family after all.

But Todoroki Shouto also seems to have dropped his chopsticks on the floor in favor of staring at her like she just stabbed him the gut. What did she say that was so surprising to make him turn blue in the face? Did she mispronounce anything again?

Fuyumi speaks above the violent coughing fits that come after. "Uraraka-san, do you have a minute? I want to show you something in the sitting room."

Trying not to appear too stunned, Ochako mutely follows Fuyumi out after a brief and deep bow to the shocked father and son combo.

* * *

The drive back from his father's house is uncomfortable. That's to be expected after coughing out cold noodles from his trachea while watching his father do the same thing with a mouthful of chewed kuzumochi. Then there's the heavy air of betrayal coming from the person sitting on his left.

"I didn't know you were still quitting," he manages to say in a calm, albeit very strained voice. "And to announce it in front of the Chairman like that.. that's as good as making it final."

Uraraka looks at him as if she said nothing out of order at all. "Yes, sir. I don't recall saying anything otherwise."

"You said your personal affairs were all resolved."

"One of them, sir," she answers in a careful tone. "But that does not change my decision. I still plan to resign for personal reasons."

Again with those reasons. Whatever they were, they can't be as important as her work with Shouto. He's sure that they're easy things that can be resolved, like the thing she resolved in just a few hours.

"So tell me about them," he tells her, trying not to appear as menacing as he felt. "What are these very important personal reasons that will make Secretary Uraraka abandon all that she's built with Todoroki Shouto for the past nine years?"

Maybe it was unfair to phrase it like that. Shouto doesn't know where all the negative emotions are coming from, to be honest, and he doesn't know why he's reacting this way to her. He considers taking it back and rephrasing his question in a more professional way, especially when Uraraka's brown eyes darken with something that makes him want to retreat.

But he doesn't take anything back-if this candor is what keeps Uraraka from running out on him, he'll give it to her.

Uraraka takes a deep, calming breath. "It's nine years, as you said. Good, productive years where I gained valuable skills and knowledge by your side. I'm grateful for all the experience."

_As you should, _Shouto thinks smugly, before she continues.

"But I'm already twenty-nine years old and I live alone and I don't want to be anymore. I have to work hard and make up for lost time if I want to get married and have children."

What a mundane reason. Doesn't she know that the company gives certain perks to married people and their children? "So find someone, go to city hall, and marry them. I'll give you a day off for that. You can have one tomorrow if you want."

Uraraka stares at him incredulously. "It doesn't work that way, Director."

"That's how people are legally bound in marriage according to the laws of Japan. Am I mistaken?"

"No, but-" she pauses, laughs in frustration. "Marriage doesn't work that way for ordinary people like me. Especially with so little opportunities to meet someone worthwhile to marry."

"Really."

"Yes, really." Uraraka's tone is stiffer than usual. "May I remind you that for the past nine years, my work starts before the sun rises and ends right before midnight with no days off. There's no way for me to meet anyone if I keep up that schedule."

Shouto gives her a look that confirms that indeed, he doesn't understand why it's a problem. Isn't it all on her if she can't manage her personal life? But instead of looking apologetic about it, she gives him a pitying look. "It's all right Director, I don't expect you to understand. You are far from ordinary, after all."

"I am," he tells her without boasting. "So don't underestimate me."

"I'm not, sir." Uraraka looks at him, eyes wide and bright. "Director… I've given nine of the best years of my life to you and your company. I don't regret anything about it. But don't you agree that it's time to see what else I can do with my life?"

The silent plea in her eyes makes the air around Shouto feel like lead.

No, it can't be true. Nine years of her being at his side, nine years of good hard work, blood sweat and tears. Do they mean nothing to her? Was it all a waste? Did he really force her to waste her life on him?

Why did it feel so terrible to realize this?

All the snide remarks die in his throat. Suddenly it's hard to look at her. Suddenly it's hard to focus on anything except the rushing city past the window beside him. In the glass, Shouto sees her reflection staring at his back quietly.

It's not long before she looks forward to a place far away.

* * *

"And that's the gist of it," Shouto says, nursing a cup of tea as he looks out at the veranda. It's full of plants as green as Midoriya's head. He wonders how the marketing chief doesn't lose himself in it.

Clad in a T-shirt that says _shorts _and a pair of sweatpants, Midoriya tries not to laugh at his plight, and fails.

"I don't appreciate that, Midoriya," he warns him. Even though he invited himself to the other executive's home, it doesn't give him the right to laugh at a superior officer.

"Sorry." He controls the smile on his face expertly and continues with a cough, "It's just that it's all that the company is gossiping about all day long. To think that the Chairman choked on his lunch over it… it's bigger news than I thought."

"A bigger problem," Shouto corrects him sternly. "It's a bigger problem for the company than we thought."

Midoriya gives a high pitched _eeeh. _"Is it, though? She's going through the proper procedure before she leaves work. And she gave you a sound reason for quitting, so…"

"It's not reasonable to quit a good career just because she wants to get married."

"It sounds pretty reasonable to me. Lots of people want to prioritize relationships over their careers and the other way around. Neither one is the only correct thing to do. It's simply a personal decision."

And here he thought that he worked so well with Uraraka because she belonged in the second group like him. For him it wasn't a matter of prioritizing career over anything because there was nothing else. Since when did Uraraka want a relationship? "I thought we were on the same page all this time. Before I knew it, her mind's already made up and there was no room for me to change her mind."

It feels _unfair. _He's likely being immature about all this, but Uraraka's worse, because she's _stubborn._

The other man shrugs. "At the end of the day, it's not your decision to make."

"Well, it should be."

"Director… it doesn't work like that."

Uraraka is his employee. _His. _And nobody else's.

Green eyes look him over carefully. "But you know, there's only one reasonable thing to do about this, right? And that is to-"

Shouto can't say that the gentle, hinting smile on his best friend's face is his favorite. It's much too patronizing and it reminds him how emotionally inadequate he is. But then again, every time he does it, enlightenment follows and a solution appears.

"-marry her."

"-wish her well in her-wait, _what?!"_

He stands up more unsteadily than intended as he listens to sound of the universe clicking things in place.

How could he have missed such an obvious solution? The old man wants him to marry someone. Uraraka wants to marry someone. There's no rule in the company that spouses can't work in the same office. If they don't take too long with prenuptial agreements, they can get married in no time. It all works out.

"Midoriya, excellent job. Expect another call from accounting," he says, finishing the rest of his tea in one swallow. Midoriya has a face that can't be read, but it doesn't matter now that he knows the precise, exact, correct answer to this previously unsolvable situation.

"No, that's not-" Midoriya stammers, following him out of his house. "Todoroki-kun-I mean, Director, are you serious? You're going to propose to Uraraka-san? Because that's definitely not what I meant when I said those things…"

"Maybe not," Shouto says, "So that means I came up with the perfect answer on my own, doesn't it?"

Midoriya gives him an uneasy look. "Director, this isn't going to work."

"Hm," Shouto says doubtfully. "In the unlikely event that it doesn't, I'll come back to you for analysis."

Midoriya looks like he has an hour's worth of mutterings to say in this regard. Shouto can try to listen to that, but he's already wasted enough time.

Leaving the flustered Midoriya on the curb, he speeds off into the night, an address in a middle-class area of the city his target.

* * *

Because Director Todoroki unexpectedly cut their work short in favor of consulting Chief Midoriya in his home, Ochako finally had extra time to do some shopping.

Grocery shopping is a simple joy that she doesn't take for granted. Today she made it before the afternoon sale on eggs closed. It's been a while since she last enjoyed a good home-cooked meal, and she's looking forward to all the things she can cook for the next couple of days.

"Let's see… tonight, omurice sounds great," she says, singing a little song to herself. "Oh, and I have some time to check out that k-drama Tooru-chan told me to watch!"

There isn't much to see in the neighborhood she lived in. Most of them are apartment complexes with affordable rent. She managed to score the cheapest one. The street is narrow, which isn't usually a problem since most of the residents there don't own cars. And it may be too quiet, but quiet is good. Quiet means she can take it easy, and...

An all too-familiar Bentley takes up the entire street in front of her apartment. Gods, nothing in this life is ever easy.

Director Todoroki is leaning against the hood of the car, intently watching the door of her apartment like a cat waiting for a mouse to come out of a hole in the wall. That's strange enough, but stranger still is the fact that he evidently drove there by himself, didn't get lost, and didn't seem to have run over anything or anyone on accident or otherwise.

"Director?" she calls out experimentally, on the off-chance that it's all an elaborate hallucination.

The curt executive turns to her immediately. The familiar severe look on his face tells her that this absurd situation is happening for real. "You're finally back. It took you a while."

His blue and grey eye run over her in a flash. This might be one of the few times he's seen her outside of her work clothes. It shouldn't bother her since she's off duty, but suddenly she's self conscious of the old teambuilding exercise shirt and gym shorts she opted to wear to buy her food.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, not willing to prolong this awkward moment any longer.

"I was waiting for you," he answers, as if it's obvious. "There's something that I need from you. And from my understanding, there's something that you need from me, too."

She tells him plainly, "I don't follow."

"It's all right, Secretary Uraraka. It took me a while before I caught on, too."

He steps forward, ever impressive in his tailored suit, striking eyes almost glowing in the dark with purpose. It's been a while since she feels the boggled feeling ordinary people feel when seeing his disconcertingly handsome face. Maybe because it's so dark and it's just them and why the heck is he in such an ordinary part of town anyways?

She really, really, _really _doesn't understand what is going on, and so she responds to him in the way that works on him-bluntly. "Director, please let me know what you want," she says, struggling to remain professional in her shorts. "I'll do my best to comply."

He nods, satisfied. "Good."

Without warning, he drops to one knee, awkwardly gathering the hand that's not carrying two dozen eggs, and pretends it isn't awkward at all. As if this isn't awkward enough-

"I want you by my side forever. Marry me."

All her plans of making omurice are instantly obliterated as the bag drops on the concrete beside them.

* * *

_AN: Thank you for all the feedback T_T I'm so happy you guys are excited about what's going to happen! And for those of you who have already watched WWWSK, there are going to be major changes in the story which I won't spoil (because it'll be bad if I make this story an exact replica of that one hehe) so I hope I don't disappoint! :) I love you all!_


	3. What I Want

**Just Another Secretary Story!  
Chapter 3: What I Want**

* * *

"So," Midoriya Izuku begins, struggling to keep his face as serene as a Buddharupa, "she said no."

Shouto hates that he ends up in Midoriya's much smaller office in the morning that follows his proposal to Uraraka, yet here he is. To his astonishment, his subordinate was right and he was wrong. The shorter man's efforts to not say any variation of _I told you so _makes this humbling ordeal a lot worse.

After some thoughtful silence regarding the look of utter defeat in Shouto, he asks, "What happened anyway? You drove to Uraraka-san's house last night, right?"

The arduous journey took him forty-five minutes of driving in the opposite direction, ten minutes taking the wrong exit, and another ten minutes of driving at a snail's pace in that tiny, tiny neighborhood where she lived. He only ran over a grand total of two ceramic pots, resulting in a brief confrontation and him leaving 20,000 yen per pot to the stunned owners. He was told to come back anytime, which was strange, but he wouldn't have minded it if his travels were worth it.

They were not. After watching him cast his dignity aside and covering the sidewalk with raw eggs, Uraraka merely knelt beside him and touched his forehead to check for a fever. Followed by her asking him if he remembered who he is or where he was and how many fingers she was holding up.

"Yikes." Midoriya physically winced at that. "And then what?"

Shouto exhales slowly. "And then she said she can't… won't marry me."

Her exact words were, _"Director, I can't marry you, how can you even ask me that? And please get off the concrete right now, your suit will get ruined! _"

He supposed he can't blame her for not immediately picking up on the flawless logic of his plan, so he explained things to her as concisely as he can. _"You want to get married. I am the most suitable person for what you want-smart, wealthy, successful, handsome, established, and a fair man who won't force you to quit your career. There's no question. You should marry me as quickly as possible." _

He isn't even bragging when he said those things about himself-they're just objectively true. She stared at him in a number of ways-curiosity, shock, and an emotion he didn't know that made her eyes flare. He thought she ended up getting the fever judging by the way her cheeks turned from pink to red and how her hands shook.

_"Director… go home. I gotta… have to clean up the eggs."_

After that, she walked away from him without saying anything. She might have been shocked or she might have been just plain rude, which he didn't deserve at all. Shouto went home feeling irritated.

In an impassioned text she sent him after he demanded an explanation, she tells him, _What I want is an ordinary marriage with an ordinary person. Nothing more, nothing less. Goodnight, Director Todoroki._

"Oh no," Midoriya groans. "Of course it'll end up like this, Todoroki-kun—I mean, Director. I'm surprised you thought this would work at all."

His fingers tap against his desk in irritation. "You made that abundantly clear, Midoriya. But tell me why I was set to fail."

"Well, there are lots of reasons why it wasn't going to work… I mean, you went there without a plan, you didn't call her or text her that you needed to see her, you didn't check if the venue was appropriate for the proposal, your proposal was obviously rushed, you didn't even have a ring, you caused her to break all those eggs, ruined her dinner, made a big mess in the neighborhood..."

Each point Midoriya stabs him right in the ego until Shouto feels about as alive as the hideous tiger rug his father keeps in their summer home.

"But most important of all… Director." He pauses to take a deep breath, both to give his superior time to ruminate over his words, and also because he's already turning blue from talking so much without breathing. "The biggest flaw in your plan was you asked to marry her with no consideration for her whatsoever. You just assumed that she'd marry you just because you said so! That's not how marriage works! For a marriage proposal like that, no is the only correct answer!"

How is he supposed to know how marriages worked? He didn't learn anything witnessing the sham of a marriage between his parents. It's already baffling enough that anyone would want anything as fragile as that. Still,

"I did it for her. I wouldn't have asked if she didn't want it."

Midoriya is wrong. This isn't about what he wanted. Uraraka is the one who wants marriage, not him. He's never even considered it at all before her.

His best friend looks more frustrated than ever. "No, you wouldn't have asked if you weren't going to lose an assistant. You wouldn't have asked her _anything _if she didn't tell you that she wanted to leave! And I get that you're panicking because you're afraid to lose her, but I think you need to take time to understand her better!"

Realizing too late how passionately he nagged Shouto like a disappointed mother, Midoriya blushes furiously and clamps his mouth shut.

"You seem to understand relationships better than I do, Midoriya. I'm surprised. You definitely don't look experienced."

Midoriya continues to make an impressive impression of a tomato and stammers in protest. "Nghh, it's not that-I mean-no, you know what, my experience doesn't matter." Shaking the red from his freckled cheeks, he points an accusing finger at him. "What matters now is_ you! _Make an effort to understand what Uraraka-san wants and give her what she needs from you!"

"Make an effort to understand what Secretary Uraraka wants," he repeats.

Midoriya hums affirmatively.

"And give her what she needs."

The other man nods brightly. "Yeah, you get it now, right Director? The thing you have to do now is to-"

"-understand who her ideal marriage partner is and become that person."

"-give her some space and-_ TODOROKI-KUN, SERIOUSLY. _"

Midoriya isn't prone to many outbursts, so anytime he has one people have to be concerned. But the gears in Shouto's head are too busy turning for him to notice.

Of course he was set to fail from the start, because the manner of his approach was wrong. There was meaning to Uraraka mentioning her ordinariness-how could he have missed it? He didn't think being extraordinary would give him any disadvantages ever in his life. But now that he understands the situation better, he knows what to do next.

"She wants an ordinary person and an ordinary marriage. So, if she were an ordinary person from her age group, what she would be looking for is romance. That's a statistically sound assumption based on solid marketing research. So if I am able to successfully woo her as an ordinary man-"

"Oh no," Midoriya whispers.

Oh yes. It'll be tough to become the ordinary person she wants, but he can make it work. He'll face the challenges head-on for the sake of her future-_ their future. _A stable marriage with a smart, wealthy, successful, handsome, established man, and a stable job working for a smart, wealthy, successful… well, you get the idea. She should count herself lucky.

By that time, the green-haired chief looks pretty much done with everything. "I know that look in your eyes, Director, and I know nothing's gonna stop you whatever I say. So let me know how it goes, yeah? I'll get to work now, so..."

Gathering his things, Midoriya turns to leave his own office. Unfortunately for him, Shouto isn't done with him yet. One searing hot hand makes it to the shorter man's shoulder, making him yelp.

"But Chief Midoriya, I need your expertise in this. Kindly put your bag down and help me strategize."

"... oh no," Midoriya repeats helplessly.

* * *

Ochako hesitates a little as she opens the door to the Office of the Executive Director. Due to her errands the day before, she hasn't had a chance to sit with her officemates since the announcement of her resignation. In her groupchat with Tooru-chan and Tsuyu-chan from Marketing, she was told that she's the topic of widespread gossip all over the corporation. So she's worried-how is the rest of the office going to react about her leaving?

The moment she enters, Monoma Neito, the unit manager, twirls with a fox-like smile. "Well, well, well! And here we have the quitter herself! Welcome to the end, Uraraka!"

The rest of the five-man team-Senior Officer Iida Tenya and his two assistants Ashido Mina and Kirishima Eijirou-let their things clatter noisily on the table upon her entrance.

"G'morning guys-_ gah- _"

Everyone is already around her before she can breathe. Predictably, it's Iida who reaches her first by stomping across the room at the speed of light. "Uraraka-kun, tell me it isn't true! Are you truly abandoning the Executive Director in favor of a different company in Korea?"

"No, Iida, you got that wrong!" Mina says, shoving him away from her face. "Ochako-chan, I heard you're quitting 'cause you're getting married to a childhood friend from Mie-ken! That's it, right? Right?"

"No way, Mina!" Kirishima shoves her face with his own so he can look at Ochako in the eye. "It's medical, right? Uraraka, if you need a blood or organ donor, you know you can just come to me, right? I'll give you my kidney and I won't even say _ouch _, so-"

So they're not mad at her for leaving. She's hardly able to get even an awkward laughter in when Monoma shoves the enthusiastic group away from her with a snooty _tsk, tsk, tsk._

"Now now, you lot. We all know what this is about." With his usual flourish and spread of the fingers, he deems himself to explain. "Uraraka has been the most faithful aide to the Director for the past nine years. No other secretary is able to achieve the feats that she has. Therefore we owe her the courtesy of her privacy when it comes to the personal reasons of her leaving work."

Ochako stares at the usually prickly manager in awe. "Wow, Monoma-kun, that's awful decent of you."

"Can't be helped. I _am _an extraordinarily decent person, after all. So when you marry that Mie-ken guy and move to Korea within the next three and a half months for work and treatments, it's really none of our business~"

So he's still the same snake. She wonders why anyone would still believe anything this guy has to say.

"That said, Uraraka," Monoma continues, batting his eyelashes innocently, "if you're looking for a new chief secretary to replace you, look no further, for I-"

"Ah! That's right!" Iida interrupts them with a swift karate chop in front of the blonde's face. "Uraraka-kun, if it is so, we must create a task force to find your replacement! As such, I would like to verify the imminence of your resignation, so that I can act accordingly!"

Ignoring Monoma's offended scoff, Ochako beams at Iida like a lightbulb. "It's true, Iida-kun! Like I told the Director, I'm gonna start turnover of duties as soon as we find a replacement. So I'll only be here for another month!"

"Oh my god, Ochako-chan! You're really leaving us! I can't believe it!" Mina says tearily, "Oh, but you're not dying from an illness or anything like that, are you?"

She smiles. "Nope, I'm not dying! Don't worry!"

"OMG! How about marriage then?!"

Ochako tries not to cough remembering the whole debacle from last night. "... nope… not yet..."

The entire office sighs in relief (except for the snickering Monoma, the obvious source of all gossip). "But this is great, Uraraka! You work the hardest out of all of us, but now that you're resigning, it means you're finally going to have some time for yourself, huh?" Kirishima says.

"Well… yeah, there's that too," she answers coolly. When she beams again, the four other executives had to literally shield their eyes from her.

"Gah, my eyes," Monoma mutters, wiping his eyes. "Is this the smile of a woman who's finally going to have time for dates? I'm ~thrilled~ for you, Uraraka."

The spring of her youth came late, but boy is she going to enjoy it. The vision of holding a special someone's hands as they walk under the cherry blossoms seems a little less impossible now.

Mina gasps."That's right, Kiri! Ochako-chan can go on dates now!" When the redhead only stares at her blankly, she rolls her eyes. "You know! That time we went to the barbecue place in Wookiess, he asked you about Ochako after seeing our pictures?"

Kirishima gasps. "Yeah… yeah, yeah! Hey, Uraraka, if you're up for a blind date, there's a good buddy of mine who-"

Before any of them can process what the boisterous couple is actually trying to say, a flash of red and white enters their peripheral vision. As a conditioned reflex, they all shut their mouths, turn to the entrance and simultaneously do a half-bow. "Executive Director," they greet in unison.

Todoroki Shouto glares at them more severely than usual. "Secretary Uraraka," is all he needs to say before Ochako is on his heels the next second.

She hears a soft and scared _bye _from the rest of the team. It's the same air of villagers watching the human sacrifice get thrown into the gaping maw of a volcano. The difference is, the villagers only have to do this once per season, whereas the Office of the Executive Director does this every single day.

_Just a month longer, Ochako, _she tells herself before going over the day's agenda with the Director.

* * *

The Director's mood is in a different level of hell than any of them had imagined. Oddly it was Kirishima who ended up with the bulk of the workload that day. No-one dared to question why.

So much for talking to him about the blind date. Ochako's definitely interested in learning more about the guy they had in mind. Even though it isn't very likely that this random guy will be ~The One~, it's still a great chance to test the waters.

_I wonder if he's a nice guy. _There's a good chance that he is, right? Kirishima's one of the nicest guys in the universe, and it makes sense to have a 'good buddy' who's as nice as he is. Oh, maybe he'll have puppy dog eyes. Like a Pomeranian. Gosh, it'll be cute if he were just like a Pomeranian.

_Wait. I'm at work. I shouldn't be thinking of dates with guys I haven't met yet. _She shakes her head and continues typing up a letter to HR for her replacement. _Okay, qualifications, qualifications... _

_A nice guy, nice hair, stable job, intelligent. He definitely has to be tall. Muscles are good. Sharp eyes? Red is a nice eye color, but that might be too intense. Purple is good too. And blue. Oh, grey. Blue and grey…? _

A muscle involuntary twitches on her face.

Sneakily, Ochako peers over to where Director Todoroki is speaking in rapid French to a client from a different continent. The awkward encounter of last night flashes back in front of her eyes. Did the worst marriage proposal ever to have happened really happened? The Director didn't mention it or even gave any indication that it happened at all, so she seriously wondered if she just dreamt the whole thing.

But she really sent him that message last night didn't she? _What I want is an ordinary marriage with an ordinary person _-she didn't think she'd be so angry that she can snap at the Director like this through text. But he came at her with that ridiculous proposal of his just so she can keep being his secretary forever and ever, of course she's going to snap!

Plus, as clueless as the Director is it's so infuriating that he said something as borderline romantic as _I want you by my side forever. _Now that Ochako knows exactly what he meant by that, she really hated how fast her heart started beating when he said that while holding her hand. Universe, isn't it unfair that the guy you sent to make her heart skip a beat for the first time in a long time is the clueless demon Director who just doesn't want her to quit?

Oof, double oof. Well… if he acts like it didn't happen, she's more than happy to comply. It's better this way so they can work together efficiently. It'll only be for another month. One more month, Ochako!

_Well... the eye color doesn't matter, as long as he feeds me mochi until I explode. Must like dogs and babies. Cats…? Shelter cats should be okay. If it's a British Shorthair..._

Why is she thinking of British Shorthairs. Why is she thinking of snooty ol' Victoria running around her dream house with her dream guy. It's thanks to that proposal that she's weird today. Stupid Director, messing with her good time like this!

"Uraraka-san?"

Blinking out of her reverie, she shifts into work mode and gives a half-bow to her unlikely visitor. "Chief Midoriya," she greets respectfully. "I'm sorry, were you standing there for long?"

Midoriya Izuku shakes his head. "You were really enjoying what you were doing, so I didn't want to disturb you."

He gives one hecking bright smile which leaves her partially blind. Is this guy really Director Todoroki's best friend? He must be a saint. "The Director is in the middle of a teleconference now so he can't be disturbed. If you can come back after half an hour…"

"No, it's okay! I was actually looking for you."

Midoriya pulls out a floppy folder from under his arm. There are papers there filled with what look like detailed scribbles and anime doodles. To the intrigued Ochako he hands a form.

"Oh… a survey?"

"Yup!" Midoriya shows her the entire questionnaire, which is just one page. "We're working on booking services that target women working at corporate. You know, usual things, nothing different from the normal things my department works on, not like this survey is weird or anything. Anyhow, since you're part of our target market, I was hoping you'd help us out…"

Strange, since when did Chief Midoriya hand out surveys personally? If the employees in Endeavor needed to answer surveys, he usually gets Tooru-chan to send the forms via email. So has he been giving this to all the girls in the building? Is that why he's sweating and murmuring more than usual?

It doesn't look like Midoriya's having an easy time with this survey, so she decides to help him out. "No problem, Chief. I'll work on this one during my break," she says with a smile. "I'll give my form to Secretary Hagakure when I'm done."

"Oh no! No need! Please don't-" Midoriya coughs so hard he gags. Ochako moves to help him, but he stops her by holding a shaky hand up. "This…. I mean, Secretary Hagakure's got other important, er, things going on. Uh, so when you're done, I'll just come by to pick up your form, okay?"

He's so stressed Ochako's half expecting him to throw up right there and then. "Oh… kay then."

"Okay that's settled! Thanks for helping me, er, us out. Bye~~~"

Heaving an oddly relieved sigh, the haggard chief of marketing speedwalks out of the office without sparing a second glance. It's well known in the company that Midoriya is very bad at talking to women, but this was worse than usual. Must be extra pressure from above...

She browses the survey briefly. There are three questions on it with plenty of space underneath to write her answers:

_Describe your ideal partner. (A complete description by physical attributes and behavioral traits are considered optimal)._

_Describe an ideal excursion with your ideal partner. (Provide as much detail on the location, ideal time, and weather conditions of said excursion)._

_Describe an ideal product that you would like to receive from your ideal partner. (Dimensions, color options, and other details are required). _

Weird. Really weird. She can't put her finger on it, but the blunt and commanding style of writing reads so familiarly. She's sure that it isn't Midoriya or his assistant Tsuyu-chan or Tooru-chan who did this one. Maybe they hired someone new?

_Oh well. _The questions are pretty interesting, so she'll give herself time to think about them. Maybe once Kirishima sets her up with her blind date, she can actually claim some of her answers for real.

* * *

As promised, Midoriya runs right into their office when she tells him she finished the survey. The executive bows to her about half a hundred times before running off and disappearing without any further explanation.

"I wonder if he's okay," she asks worriedly as Midoriya almost bulldozes Monoma on the way out.

"Don't mind him," Director Todoroki replies coldly. As that guy's best friend, he sure seems to make an effort to disregard his existence. "You were going to show me those files from HR."

"Yes, Director." Ochako places an armful of files over his left, a short summarized list on his right. "These are the candidates for the secretary position. We coordinated with the department head for the interview schedules. The earliest batch will be interviewed next week."

Todoroki taps his fingers thoughtfully over the desk. "Next week."

"Yes, Director."

There's an anxious moment where Ochako expects him to push back the dates further to keep her working there for longer. But instead of that, the director takes one glance at the list of candidates and points to a name smack in the middle.

"You want to finish the turnover of duties as quickly as possible, right?" His right eye disconcertingly dark, he taps the list menacingly. "Let's interview the first batch tomorrow. Starting with this one."

_Utsushimi Camie. _Ochako raises her eyebrows at the choice. She isn't a bad candidate at all-she finished university in the prestigious Shiketsu, she has prior experience at a respectable law firm, and she speaks English, German, and Russian fluently.

She also had a long, detailed list of her interests and hobbies that filled up half her resume, which was odd, but it only made her seem more interesting. She'd be a great replacement for Ochako. "Understood, sir."

Director Todoroki drops the subject and continues with the rest of their daily report. Ochako keeps up with him without much problems, although with the excitement of the things to come it's more difficult to keep her face carefully neutral.

Things are falling into place for her, aren't they?

* * *

It's nighttime when she's able to leave the office, but thankfully she's only an hour late for her next meeting. At an eatery not far from her apartment, she easily spots her dates for the evening.

It's easy to find them in a dingy diner like this. There are two beauties sitting with half-finished plates of dumplings and Chinese-style fried rice on them: one with dark hair, dark eyes and a gracefulness that makes her stand out, and one with pale skin, pale hair, an exquisite fashion sense and a different charisma that would make anyone do a double-take.

"Yui-chan!" Ochako rushes over to her and gives her a big, warm hug. "And Reiko-chan, oh my gosh, it's been so long!"

"Yeah, well who's the idiot who hasn't taken a single day off for the last nine years?" Reiko gives her a fond smile and another bear hug. "Yui, come on, guilt-trip your cousin a more, she deserves it!"

Yui gives her a sharp look.

"I know, I know, sorry, but I'm here now, right?" Ochako takes a seat and munches on a dumpling. "Oh my gosh, I'm starving, I'm glad you ordered ahead."

"We've been doing this for a long time. Give us some credit." Reiko tells her flatly.

Kodai Yui is her quiet cousin from her mother's side, practically a sister from how they were raised. Yanagi Reiko is their closest, snarkiest childhood friend who is also close enough to be their sister. Throughout high school and beyond they made it a point to eat at this diner once a week. Needless to say, their weekly meetings were more difficult to keep once Ochako started working at Endeavor Inc.

"Anyway, enough about that." Ochako takes some beer and raises it to them. "This is the first time you're meeting me without owing a single yen to the banks, so… yay me!"

"Yay, Ochako!" The glasses clink and they down their respective drinks, followed by a satisfied _ahh~ _in unison. As they set their glasses down, all Ochako could think about is how great it felt to know that she'd be able to do this more often.

Reiko squints her exposed eye to her, full lips pursed. "Yesterday, Yui here called me about the thing you told her about. She was so excited she said five full sentences to me. So is it true?"

"Yui-chan, you were that happy for me?" Ochako smiles at Yui brightly, who nods. "And yes it's true, Reiko-chan! I'm leaving Endeavor Inc!"

"Oh my god, finally? I think I'll congratulate you more for finally quitting and leaving that brat!"

Ochako giggles at the simultaneous flash of irritation on the girls' faces. "Wow you guys really hate Director Todoroki that much, huh?_ "_

"And you don't?" Reiko looks _insulted. _"Ochako, your nine-to-five was actually five-to-nine or worse. He forced you into a lot of his stupid business ideas, hung up on you constantly, woke you up in the middle of the night at least three times a week for new deadlines, made you wait on his girlfriends hand and foot, made you take care of his snooty cat-"

"Victoria-chan's good," Yui mumbles over her beer, "but, yup."

"-and worse of all, he expected you to treat him like a prince while he treated you like _shit. _" Reiko chugs down the rest of her beer in one go, she was _that _irritated. "And he did that for nine years. _Nine years, _Ochako!"

"I know," Ochako smiles serenely. "No regrets for me though! Ma and Pa are okay in Mie, and look, Yui-chan's an engineer now! Isn't that great? Plus now I can do what I want, so-"

Suddenly, tears are falling quietly from Yui's eyes. Ochako yelps in shock while Reiko scrambles for tissues.

"Yui-chan, come on, you promised not to cry over this anymore." Ochako pats her silent cousin at the back as she pats her eyes dry gracefully. "You didn't force me to pay for your tuition, you know? It was something that I wanted to do 'cause I know it'll make you happy."

"Mhm."

Reiko hums. "You also lent me a lot of cash so I can finish fashion school. Now I'm pretty happy being Yaomomo's stylist, but… you know we're both going to feel guilty for making you suffer under that asshat for longer than necessary."

"Mm."

"Yeah, that reminds me, _shit, _the nerve of that guy breaking up with Yaomomo! Oh my god, I need more beer over here, please!"

Ochako pointedly does _not _tell them about how the break-up happened. She might end up with an angry drunk Reiko sleeping on her couch again. "But he isn't a bad boss. I mean, even if he pushed me too hard, he always treated me fairly. He's just clueless about a lot of things. Besides, I learned a lot from trying to keep up with him, so…"

Reiko and Yui give her mildly disappointed looks. "Ochako… he didn't just push you too hard. He's practically got you on a ball and chain!"

She scoffs. "You're exaggerating."

Out of nowhere, Yui snatches her handbag right from her grasp. Despite her protests, the taciturn girl opens the contents for all to see, which are just standard items in an OL's handbag-phone, wallet, Suica card, keys to her apartment, keys to the penthouse, a spare handkerchief, Tylenol for the Director's migraine, a pair of men's Raybans, the Director's favorite Waterman ivory fountain pen, peppermints, cat treats-

Reiko simmers a little more. "What are you, his wife? Why the hell is your bag full of his shit?"

She scowls at the meaningful glares directed at her and grabs her bag back. "You know how clueless he is, I have to be ready for everything… It's part my job to take care of him!"

Yui gives her a pitying look. "Stockholm Syndrome," she mutters darkly.

Ochako scoffs. "I told you a million times already, Yui-chan, it's n-not that. He's my infuriating boss, nothing more, nothing less."

Reiko narrows her eyes at her. "Hey. You stuttered."

Under the two accusing gazes, Ochako covers her face with a mug of beer. "No I didn't."

"Yes you did. Oh my god." Reiko looks about ready to flip the table and cover the entire restaurant in dumpling sauce. "Ochako. Don't you dare."

"No, Reiko-chan, I swear!"

Yui tugs on her sleeve with a grim determination in her eyes. "Todoroki…?" she asks.

Ochako swallows nervously. Judging by the stares coming her way, this wasn't going to be easy, and won't become any easier if she prolongs the agony.

"... proposed," she finally mutters.

The two girls look at her dumbly. "Proposed?"

Ochako nods. Reiko looks about ready to upend more furniture like an irate poltergeist. Ochako has to pick her next answers carefully. "And… you didn't say _yes, _did you…?"

"N-no, of course not!" Ochako sputters. She feels her cheeks light up in protest. "It came out of nowhere! He did it so I won't quit! Besides, even if he proposed to me better, (like, in a planetarium or something), I'll never ever ever ever ever say yes to him!"

Yui crosses her arms over her chest. "... stutter," she says accusingly.

Ochako makes a sound of frustration. She really doesn't deserve all the judgmental looks coming her way. She mustered up all that courage to quit, didn't she? And yeah Director Todoroki proposed to her just the night before and made her question his sanity, but she said no, right? Every single bone in her body told her that she couldn't ever be with Todoroki Shouto, not in that way-

_I want you by my side forever, _he'd told her, with her hand in his-

"B-blind date," she sputters forcefully. "I'm going on a blind date with someone! Someone else. Not Todoroki Shouto. So there! Stop ragging on me, 'kay?"

She hates how hot her cheeks can get. She chugs her second beer a little faster than she'd like to try to cover it up, and thankfully it works. Yui and Reiko share a sigh of relief. "Details," Reiko demands, to which she complies happily.

"He's the best friend of one of my co-workers, Kirishima," she begins, rifling through her chatlog with the redhead. It's good that he snuck in some time to text her about it after all his work was done. "The guy's a journalist! Neat, huh? Kirishima says he asked to meet me after seeing my face on Instagram."

"Huh. Just your face? What a straightforward guy." The two girls are mildly impressed. "So, what's his name? And he's not ugly or anything is he?"

Ochako laughs. "No, not ugly at all! So this is the guy I'm meeting next week. His name's Baku-"

A lick of flame appears at the periphery of her vision. It's small in reality, but in Ochako's mind, it starts to spread. Suddenly, the whole diner is on fire. There's ashes and debris falling over the exits, trapping them all. Someone with cold, white hands is telling her to leave and take… someone… out of there...

She can't move. She's about to die. They're both about to die.

"...chako… Ochako…"

She blinks, and suddenly the fires are gone. Her body isn't cold but she's shaking all over. Yui is above her, cradling her and keeping her still. She hears Reiko yelling at someone in the kitchen for being too showy with their cooking.

"N… no fire?"

Yui shakes her head. "No fire."

Reiko reappears next to Yui. "They hired someone new who didn't know about your pyrophobia. But it's okay now. I think we should take you home."

Another night ruined. If it isn't her schedule, it's her paralyzing fear of fire. She hates that she has to ask the girls to take care of her again. She hates that the few times they meet, she has to become this broken little person again.

Yui's too kind. Reiko's too kind, and also badass. She really doesn't deserve sisters like them.

"Don't say that about yourself," Yui tells her kindly. "You're a great person, Ochako. One day you'll see that. And one day, someone special will see that too. Just you wait."

There's nothing as comforting as Yui saying so many words while being tucked into bed. It's good enough that she isn't afraid to get to sleep and confront the nightmares again.

She dreams of many things, but what she remembers when she wakes up is red, white, and the smell of strawberries.

* * *

_AN: my heart feels full reading all of your lovely comments! i'm so grateful that y'all read the fic, but more grateful that y'all read Todochako, the rarepair that needs more love T_T  
i'm really excited now that i've introduced even more characters! it's gonna get more fun from here on out :D_


	4. It's Always Her

**Just Another Secretary Story!  
Chapter 4: It's Always Her**

* * *

It's rare to see Midoriya as ill-tempered as he is now, yet Shouto is proud to say that when it happens it's almost always because of him.

The green-haired executive moves to slam a handful of filled-out forms over his desk, but changes his mind at the last minute and places it gently in front of him instead. "Here's what you asked for, Todoroki-kun. Don't you _ever _make me do that again. I said so many lies I almost stress-barfed in your office! Twice!"

"Never again," Shouto lies. "Brilliant execution as always, Midoriya. No-one suspected a thing. I could not ask for a better accomplice."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere," he says with a hearty _harrumph _and a pleased little flush on his freckled cheeks that betrays what he just said. "Anyways I know how important this is to you so I'm glad I could help."

The result of Midoriya's hard work is the fake survey form that Shouto designed to help him woo Secretary Uraraka. To avoid Uraraka's suspicions, he told the marketing chief give out other forms to anyone willing to answer them. By the end of the day he gets five neatly filled-out forms with a wealth of valuable information hidden within. Now...

"Which one is Secretary Uraraka's?"

Midoriya looks at him incredulously. "Come on, Director. You don't know how your own secretary's handwriting looks like?"

"How would I know what it looks like? We don't write each other letters."

(But if Uraraka is inclined towards romantic handwritten letters, it won't be difficult for him to deliver. Shouto is proud to say that his calligraphy skills are superb.)

"Oh man. Okay, I'll help." The chief starts sifting through the papers with intense concentration. "Okay, so this one is Ashido-san's, I'm sure I saw her use a sparkly purple gel pen to sign all her documents and also it's full of hand-drawn emojis. This one's Iida-kun's, since the writing's so pressured and accurate and his ideal date is reading encyclopedias at the library with a scholarly individual who knows how to use the Dewey Decimal System. This one-"

Shouto cuts him off. "I thought this was a survey for women."

Midoriya shrugs. "The guys felt left out, so I gave them some too."

"Hm."

"Anyhow… this one is Monoma-kun 'cause it's written entirely in French. And this one I _think _is by Kirishima-kun 'cause he drew himself doing pull-ups at the gym..."

Shouto rubs the space between his eyes as he wonders how in the world this group of people manage to become the most productive set of people in the company.

"... oh! And here's Uraraka-san's."

Midoriya hands him the form in question. The handwriting is small and messy, but legible. The few erasures were crossed out with a single line and countersigned. All in all a civilized entry, but only at about 85%.

Shouto wrinkles his nose in suspicion. "How are you sure that this is hers?"

"Process of elimination," the freckled chief answers with confidence. "That, and… she wrote her name on it."

True enough the characters for _Uraraka Ochako _are scrawled on top of the page. All right then.

Shouto reads through the answers within the span of a minute, absorbing every detail, and rereading them again. With each review, he feels the smile on his face grow larger.

Is this really the ordinary relationship with an ordinary person that Secretary Uraraka wants? While it's nothing that he expected at all from his capable secretary…

"Todoroki-kun, you're smiling a little too evilly there," Midoriya mumbles nervously. "What are you planning?"

_Isn't this going to be too easy? _"Nothing special, Midoriya. Just something ordinary."

With a new plan forming in his head, he's sure that Uraraka isn't going anywhere.

* * *

The top of that day's agenda is the interview for Secretary Uraraka's replacement.

About a dozen men and women with all sorts of impressive accomplishments patiently wait for their turn outside the Office of the Executive Director. The first candidate sits politely on the plush sofa in front of Ochako and the Director himself.

Utsushimi Camie, 30 years old, a proud graduate of Shiketsu's communications department. Not surprising. All of them tended to be from Shiketsu or UA or Ketsubutsu or some fancy university overseas. Ochako, who only finished a certificate course in secretarial work, has only dreamed of having that kind of education. It's still baffling nine years later how an underqualified twenty-year old temp like her ever managed to get hired by Chairman Todoroki's son.

Now that she's at the other side of the table, maybe she'll gain some insight on it. Ochako opens Utsushimi's file and gives her a bright smile. "Utsushimi-san, thank you for coming. How are you feeling today?"

The first thing anyone will notice about Utsushimi is how gorgeous she is-long light-brown hair, full lips, a good figure, an elegant fashion sense. The confident way she carries herself makes her look like she belongs in this office. Ochako automatically thinks she's perfect for the job.

And then she speaks. "Yeah, I'm totes… I mean, totally feeling super great today, thanks for asking! I'm so stoked to be here. Cool office, cool space… and you two are looking super hot today too, by the way."

Ochako's smile freezes on her face, while Director Todoroki's face remains stoic. Okay then...

Clearing her throat, Ochako moves on to the first question. "So, Utsushimi-san-"

"You can call me Camie, I totally don't mind."

"... Utsushimi… Camie-san." Keeping a careful side-eye on Director Todoroki, Ochako continues. "It says here that you worked at Orca Law Office before. What were your responsibilities there?"

"The low down in Law Town? Okay, I gotcha." Confidently, she gives a breakdown of all the things she had to do and all the things she's capable of doing. Ochako asks her a few more questions about what she knows of the company, current events, and hypothetical situations. Camie is able to answer them properly, although her language is too… _casual _for the setting.

Okay, so she isn't bad. Ochako's sure that the Director would reject her immediately, though. He had rejected applicants in the past just by the way they said their names. But the minutes pass by with Camie talking, and he has not said a single scathing word yet.

Ochako looks at him, and suddenly it's apparent why he's so silent-his odd eyes are staring at a spot in the ninth dimension. Looks like he hasn't been listening at the very start. Ochako is rightfully _irritated. _Damn him if he thinks that he'll make her do all the work here!

"Director, do you have anything you want to ask Utsushimi-san?"

Todoroki's eyeballs moves to her in utter disinterest. "Must I?"

The smile on Ochako's mouth strains. "Of course. She might be your future secretary, after all."

He turns to Camie, who is looking too relaxed for the menacing gaze being directed at her. The Director taps his fingers on his armrest for a few tense moments, stretching the suffocating silence in between.

Just as Ochako considers breaking the silence with another question, Director Todoroki finally speaks up. "I have an important question for you, Utsushimi-san."

A feeling of foreboding instantly fills Ochako's chest. Utsushimi seems oblivious to the chill in the air as she asks, "Ya, fire away."

He gives a meaningful side-glance to his present secretary as he asks, "If I hire you, how many years will it take before you quit?"

Ochako's face stiffens.

Camie hums thoughtfully. "If I get this job, I'm defo not gonna think about quitting, y'know? Like, I came here to work, so, yeah. That's just weird."

"Yes, isn't it?" Now he shows interest, and Ochako does not appreciate it at all. "But let's say that you're going to quit. That you have to quit because of something as trivial and vague as _personal reasons. _How many years will be acceptable before you get to that point? Say… three years? Five? _Nine_?"

Oh that's just _foul. _Ochako barely keeps her jaw dropping at that blatant jab.

To the strange question, Camie merely chuckles. "A hundred? I'm kidding, I seriously dunno. I can tell you though that I'm too legit to quit, ya feel me? And if I have to quit, it'll be legit. Vague is totally not my style."

Ochako sees Todoroki's mouth move again, but this time she beats him to it. "But Camie-san, the demands of this job are massive and unforgiving. What'll you do if you and Director Todoroki's definition of 'legit' don't overlap?"

Camie shrugs. "Then I guess I won't quit?"

"Great answer." Todoroki smirks at Ochako. "Do you think these standards are worth attaining given the benefits you'll be receiving? Health, security, experience-"

"Ya. They're pretty lit~"

"So Camie-san, are you saying that you'll be prepared to sacrifice _everything _for this job just for the benefits? It's not just going to work early and going home late and not having days off. It's literal blood, sweat, tears, heartache-"

"If I have to, sure. N-B-D."

"But surely all the hours and blood and sweat and tears and heartache are necessary sacrifices for the good of the company. Didn't you come here expecting to give your all for Endeavor Inc?"

"Sacrifices are okay, but Camie-san, sure you ain't—I mean, you aren't expecting to lose your sense of self just for the good of the company, are you?"

"Uh…"

Before either of them realize it, Director and Secretary have abandoned the interview completely in favor of glaring at each other from opposite ends of the couch. By the end of it Director Todoroki's eyes are flaring, while Ochako's knuckles are sore from gripping Camie's file too hard.

"Utsushimi," Todoroki calls, but he isn't looking at her at all; he doesn't even seem to be aware that she's there anymore. No, all that cold, raw emotion behind is eyes is for Ochako and Ochako alone. "Do you think that nine years of working with me is... will be a waste of your life?"

A chill runs through her as if she's struck by ice. There isn't much that Ochako can do to stop her hands from shaking and her lower lip from quivering except to stare at him in shock.

Camie stares at them one after the other with an interested smile on her face. "Um. If you hire me, I'll do my best," is what she decides on saying after an awkward silence.

His glaring heterochromatic eyes not leaving Ochako's, Director Todoroki raises his right hand and slams it on the table. "Great. You're hired."

"What?!" Ochako cries before she can stop herself.

"Whoa, for real?"

"Indeed. Welcome to the team." Director Todoroki stands up from the couch, too self-satisfied for Ochako to feel comfortable. "Well then, Secretary Uraraka, I'll leave the transfer of duties to you. I'm confident that you won't leave until Secretary Utsushimi is able to do your job adequately."

Trying to keep herself from clenching her jaw, Ochako smiles stiffly. "Of course, Director. You can count on me."

She wonders if Camie's actively choosing to ignore the drama or if she's just _that _dense, but she is entirely unaffected by the showdown that took place. "You guys, you totes had me going there, I thought I was cancelled the moment I walked in! C'mere, c'mere, employment selfie yeahhhhhh!"

Before either of them can react, Camie already has her phone out and has expertly squooshed them together on the couch. Todoroki falls back on the cushions, Ochako half-stumbles over him, and Camie sits next to her brandishing a finger heart. "Let's do this fam! Say Colorado~"

Say what you will about Utsushimi Camie, but her employment selfie with the famous icyhot Director and his stressed secretary earns her eight hundred likes and a hundred more followers within the next hour.

* * *

Disastrous interview aside, Ochako thinks she can get along well with the new secretary. She may look too laid-back and casual on the surface, but it's surprisingly easy to get a good conversation going with her. When she starts telling her about all the intimidating things she has to learn, the other girl accepts them with an easygoing smile.

"Like, so I get that Directoroki's extra when it comes to work so I gotta be extra too… but dang, I gotta take care of the cat too?"

"Try not to call him that," Ochako says successfully without laughing her ass off. "Victoria's got her own file right here-" she pats one of the thickest clearbooks in the pile of things Camie has to memorize by the end of the week, "-but it'll be a while before you get cat duties, so don't worry about her for now. For the first week, you'll focus on the work in the office."

"Gotcha, _senpai. _"

"Oh, you don't have to," Ochako stammers, even though she feels her ears clapping happily at the feeling. "I mean-I'm a year younger than you, plus I'm quitting real soon, so I won't be your _senpai _for long. Just Ochako is fine!"

"Hm… gotcha, Ocha-babes," Camie says with a wink.

_Ocha-babes?_

"'Cause you have such a baby face. I mean, you're a real cutie pie. A Sanrio character. I bet your boyfriend pinches your cheeks all day. Oh my god."

Ochako blushes all the way to the roots of her hair. "Thanks I think? But I don't have a boyfriend..."

"Nah?" Camie asks with a pucker of her lips. "A girlfriend then? A nonbinary pal?"

"Nope! I'm single… _since birth, _" she says, slurring over the last part.

"Oh, worm." For the first time since she got here, Camie looks terribly puzzled. "Like, tell me if I'm wrong, 'kay? I thought people can get it on here as long as it doesn't get in the way of work?"

"Yeah, relationships aren't a problem. Even married people can work in the same office," Ochako confirms.

"Oh sis that's great news. I thought it was gonna be like Orca's again. People got fired all the time just 'cause they made eye contact in the office. Big yikes, right?" The taller secretary looks visibly relieved at this. "Tho I'm real surprised when you said you didn't have anyone? 'Cause I totally thought you were having a lover's quarrel with Directoroki back there."

Ochako chokes on air. "Wh-me and Directoroki-I mean, Director Todoroki?! No, we're nothing like that!"

Camie raises her eyebrows. "So, like. The nine years wasting your life thing? He wasn't salty AF at you for dumping him or whatever?"

"No?!" Wait, she _did _dump him just a couple days ago, but- "I mean, no, that doesn't count! We aren't… we _never- _"

"Chiiiill." Camie seems too amused watching the different flustered expressions she's making. "Sorry, okay? I thought I saw some serious chemistry, but I guess I was wrong." Going back to the next file, she says, "How 'bout this one? _No kettles allowed near the Director. _Seriously?"

Ochako nods. "That's right. I know it's weird, but you can't forget it, okay? It's really important..."

The other girl makes a face. "Uh-huh. Is it, like, a rich person thing? Is he too bourgeois for kettles or somethin'?"

She shakes her head. "... no. It's because he doesn't feel comfortable around them…"

She learned this the hard way during their first year of working together. She wanted to show him how earnest she was by making him tea without being asked. The kettle hadn't even been on, it wasn't going to hurt anyone, but he started shielding his face like it was going to burn him. He curled into himself and wouldn't speak for what felt like hours, even after she threw the kettle out and apologized profusely and tried to comfort him.

When he finally found his voice and managed to curb the shaking, he asked her quietly to never let him near another kettle again. It was the first time he had asked her of something that wasn't a command, but a plea-the first time he seemed so…

_Human…_

Even though she can't keep her eyes off the scar, she never knew the story behind it. She never asked and he never said anything. She convinced herself that she can exist beside him without digging up that part of his past-she was afraid that she'd hurt him again if she did.

Forcing herself back to the present, she gives Camie a pleading smile. "I'm the same with fire, you know? If I see even a little flame from a lighter, I'd start shaking and crying like a baby even though I should know better... the Director doesn't put me anywhere near them because he knows how I'm not comfortable around fire, so I try my best to keep him away from kettles. We should just respect that, okay?"

Camie looks at her carefully. "... aight. Any and all kettles shall be yeeted off the face of this earth. Gotcha."

Ochako giggles. "The yeeting isn't necessary, but thanks for understanding!"

Thankfully Camie doesn't ask further about her or the Director. She wonders if she's too protective of the Director, but she truly can't stand to see him like that again.

* * *

Later on she decides to introduce Camie to the rest of the office. They react about the same as she expected-Monoma sizes her up, Mina dances with her, Kirishima shakes her arm so hard it almost pops off its socket, and Iida gives her a stern lecture about formal workplace Japanese that lasts all of fifteen minutes.

"-and furthermore, unless you are speaking about lanterns, LEDs, hazardous fires, the sun, or other luminous things, kindly refrain from using the term _lit _to describe anything-"

What she doesn't expect though, is Camie nudging Ochako in the middle of Iida's impassioned, action-packed speech to whisper, "Yo, this one's mine, 'kay?" with a wink.

Ochako gives her a "go ahead then" nod.

By the time Iida is done, the work-day is pretty much done too. After shaking himself out of Iida-induced slumber, Kirishima gathers everyone 'round. "Hey, I got an idea! We should throw Utsushimi the manliest welcome party ever!"

Everyone but Iida cheers. "A party?! Preposterous! It's a weekday!" he protests. "We should concentrate on preserving our energies for attending to the Director's needs tomorrow!"

"Iida, don't be such an _Iida _! You already bored her to death with your lecture, now we gotta prove to Camie-chan that we aren't workbots like you!" Mina whines.

"Agreed." Monoma directs an ominous smile at Camie. "It'll be good for Utsushimi-san to have one last peaceful meal as a free person, right?"

"Ya, totes," Camie answers, unfazed. It's pretty satisfying how Monoma's face sours at that, and how it sours more when Camie ignores his antics in favor of Iida. Turning to the glasses man with a flair that makes her hair swirl, she smiles and says, "Fam, we're all going to be working together like real fam, right? Bonding is part of work too~"

Iida sputters like a malfunctioning engine. "Perhaps that is so, however, I do not see the need for high-cholesterol food and alcohol to-"

"_ Mou! _Ochako-chan, just tell us we're allowed to party already!" Mina says, going into a full blown tantrum. "I want barbecue, barbecue! Oh, but don't worry, the place I'm thinking of has electric grills, so no worries about fire or anything..."

She loves this office. She's really going to miss them when she leaves. "Sure, why not? I'm starving!"

Again, everyone but Iida cheers. The glasses man just sputters more. "B-but the Director…!"

"It's fine, he let us go early so we can focus on Camie. Besides, if he needs you, Iida-kun, he'll just pick you up at the party!"

Iida scowls through the jeers of the others in the office. "That is _not _funny, Uraraka-kun, nor is it accurate. You're his priority, not me."

"Yeah. He'd sooner join us at this plebe's party than to let Uraraka out of his sight for one night," Monoma comments idly as they trail out of the office one by one.

* * *

On top of being the resident rat bastard (self-proclaimed), Monoma just might be the office prophet as well.

So there they were in the hole-in-the-wall barbecue place. The grill's electric as Mina promised so they're able to cook the beef belly slices without Ochako getting a panic attack. Monoma's goading Camie into a fight, Mina's goading Monoma, Camie's flirting with Iida, Iida's trying to decode her words as if they were the Hammurabi code, and Kirishima's dumping overcooked meat onto everyone's plates. There's food and beer and everyone's getting redder and redder in the face. It's fun.

It happens at around the fifth batch of meat that Kirishima burns to a crisp. "I daresay, Kirishima! This beef is not beef anymore, but a piece of coal!" Iida complains.

"Bro, crispy meat's manly! Come on, eat up!"

"Blegh. I prefer my meat to not be as dark and shrunken as Director Todoroki's soul, thanks," Monoma hiccups. "I can't see anything 'cause of all the smoke. Someone confiscate the tongs from Kirishima before I shove them right up-"

A cold, bitter wind from the dead of winter floods the air around them and stops all conversation in their tracks. Kirishima drops the meat tongs with a loud noise.

It's impossible that the entire restaurant would fall so deathly silent, yet Ochako can hear nothing but the familiar footfalls of genuine Italian leather over the grimy concrete floor. Closer, and closer, and closer. Around the table, everyone but the confused Camie exchanges mildly horrified looks and then stare right at Ochako.

_Don't tell me…_

"Secretary Uraraka."

Out of the smoke of burnt spicy beef comes the silhouette of none other than Todoroki Shouto.

"Director?" Ochako is the first to stand to bow, followed by the rest of the table who is only half a millisecond slower to shift from completely drunk to painfully sober. "What are you doing here?"

The stoic executive has an ungodly strong presence that makes everyone in a hundred meter radius stop and stare. But the overall effect is different in this grimy barbecue place versus the lofty offices of Endeavor Towers-he sticks out less as a divine presence and more like a sore thumb. He's entirely aware of this too, judging by the way his nose wrinkles in distaste.

"This is an activity of the Office of the Executive Director." He points to himself. "I'm the Executive Director. I should be here."

Ochako can almost hear the same panicked internal thoughts of every member of the team: _shiiiiiiit. Who snitched?! _

It's probably too late to salvage this very awkward situation, but to Iida's credit he is the first to gallantly try. He jumps off his spot and bows at perfect ninety-degree angles. "O-o-of course, the Director should be at the very forefront of this activity! How shameful we are to forget! Why, I am astonished! Ashamed! Utterly mortified that he is not involved at the very beginning!"

"As you should." Todoroki breezes past him, uncaring of the way Iida flinches like he just got stabbed by an icicle through the gut and the way everyone else is suddenly paper white and shaking in their shoes. "Uraraka, I'll forgive this oversight today. Just today. This will not stand in the future."

"Of course not sir," Ochako replies, scrambling for her polite and efficient and not-drunk secretary voice deep within her brain, "But you made it! In this, um, event without anyone telling you how to get here! So thank you for coming to Secretary Utsushimi's welcome party!"

"You're welcome." And then with his version of a winning smile (which is just both corners of his mouth moving 2 picometers upward), he tells his hapless office, "Let's continue then."

* * *

Since taking up his position as the Executive Director of Endeavor Inc three years ago and gradually picking out members of his team, he has never joined them for social gatherings like this. It's not that he's opposed to eating at ordinary (cheap) restaurants and eating ordinary (cheap) meat and drinking ordinary (cheap, and likely terrible) liquor like they do, just that he's never considered it. If they had drinks at the upscale restaurants he liked maybe he'd join them, but then again socializing for work is exhausting enough as it is and he'd rather drink the aged whisky he kept at home.

That was then. Now he has something to prove: that he can be the ordinary man that Uraraka wants to marry. He's going to ingest cheap meat and cheap liquor and he's going to enjoy it so hard that Uraraka can't say no to him.

He's seated on an uncomfortable bench between Uraraka and Monoma, with Utsushimi on the other end; across from him are Iida, Ashido, and Kirishima. He would have seated himself at the head of the table as Iida has offered, but he didn't like how Monoma could easily touch or grope or _breathe _in the general direction of his secretary. Not that he knew Monoma to do those unseemly things, but he had heard what cheap alcohol could do to any salaryman and he's not risking his personal assistant going through any sort of harassment that will get her productivity down.

He doesn't have any cause to worry right now though, because somehow they're all enjoying the party in utter silence. They've abandoned their beers in favor of tea and ice-cold water. Ashido is the first to move since he sat down, and it is to sip at her drink with a shaking hand.

So this is how ordinary people have fun. Shouto isn't that impressed, but far be it for him to judge anyone on how they spend their free time after work.

"S-so, Director. Would you like anything to drink?" Iida cautiously asks, face paler than usual. "Or perhaps, some beef?"

He carefully considers the dark matter on his plate. His nutritionist will take a month to correct the imbalance in his system if he ate this. "... a drink first," he decides. Signalling one of the part-timers passing by, he says, "I'll have a Boulevardier if it's available."

The part-timer stares at him blankly. "A what?"

So it's not. He should have expected that from a place like this. "Never mind. I'll have an amaretto sour instead."

"_ Oji-san, _all we got here is beer or Pepsi, 'kay. If ya want something fancy an' sour I'll boil the nicest pickles in the kitchen for ya."

_Oji-san? _Since when did he become this kid's uncle? Did any of his siblings sire a secret love child without him knowing?

Before he can ask, Secretary Uraraka covers for him. "He'll have the tea too, thanks!"

He doesn't know what he did to earn that flat-out glare he gets from the kitchen staff, but he isn't going to let that deter him from his plan. "So. This is… enjoyable. You all seem to know how to have a good time."

The strained silence over the table breaks into simultaneous laughter from all sides. "Y-yeah, we sure know how to party! Wh… Whoo-hoo!" Ashido cheers, her entire body trembling in what must be pure excitement.

"Yeah! This is fun and not awkward at all!" Monoma adds with a manic laugh bordering on insane. "So, so, so, soooo fun. My heart's racing from 100% fun and 0% crippling fear!"

"Good." If he can put a percentage to things, it must be accurate. Everyone else seems to agree so it looks like the evening (slash fool-proof plan) is going well. "Out of curiosity, how long does a standard party like this take?"

It is already eleven PM and late for a weeknight. It's not a problem for him to stay out for longer-he has stayed up past midnight many times with Uraraka for work, after all, but he figured he should ask for posterity's sake.

Uraraka clears her throat beside him. "Funny you should ask, Director! We're actually almost done. This is our last round of drinks!"

Across from him, Ashido, Iida, and Monoma suddenly share wide-eyed looks that suspiciously look enlightened. "Th… that's right! Because we're responsible working adults and we must head home early on a weeknight! Now that we have thoroughly celebrated the employment of Utsushimi-kun we can happily head home to rest!"

They can go home now? It was that easy? Shouto keeps his smirk to himself. See how easy it is to do ordinary things, Uraraka? He truly isn't a man to be underestimated.

Kirishima, however, looks puzzled over this. "Eh? But I went through all that trouble reserving the karaoke place, you guys! Did you all forget abou-ow, ow, ow, ow, Ashido!"

Oh, so they're not yet done? How could they forget what's on their agenda? Is that why Ashido is so angry at Kirishima? They must have been looking forward to this. Luckily for them, Shouto isn't going to let such an ordinary mistake get in the way of their good time. "Karaoke after drinks sounds enjoyable. Let's head out."

And so Shouto loads them all in his car, with Uraraka on the passenger seat and the rest of them piled up at the back. The drive to the thoroughly unimpressive place Kirishima has picked out takes about ten gruelling crowded minutes. By the time they make it there, the rest of his team seem relieved to be able to finally breathe, but then make it to a just-as-suffocating small box with nauseating disco lights, an old machine, and an awful audio set-up.

And tambourines. God. He's trying hard for Uraraka, but even she doesn't seem to be enjoying herself in a sticky place like this. Shouto has to draw the line somewhere.

"Everyone get back in the car," he commands darkly, and they're all running out of the room after a beat.

It takes exactly one text message to the right person for his office to go to a better place they deserve. Shouto takes them to a small music theater in Kiyashi where the last run of Les Miserables was performed privately by his acquaintances from London's West End. It's unused at this time of night, so it was easy getting them to set-up for a karaoke party for seven people.

"Directoroki, you rock!" Utsushimi cheers as she rapidly takes photos of all angles of the stage.

He should probably mind the way she just stumbled over his name, but he doesn't, because for once Uraraka seems impressed. "Let the party commence."

His office crew's aura is vastly different than in the barbecue place. They start drinking as soon as the cocktails are served and immediately start fighting over the microphone. Ashido wins first and slurs over a Nicki Minaj song. Kirishima tries to get Iida to sing "Be A Man" with him but ends up aggressively singing all the parts by himself. Etcetera, etcetera. With each song they sing, they progressively get drunker, bolder, and out of tune.

Surprisingly, Shouto doesn't mind. Maybe because he's finally drinking something that he's sure doesn't taste like piss. Or maybe because Uraraka's sitting right next to him, clapping along happily as Utsushimi and Monoma sing a Carly Rae Jepsen song while threatening to judo-throw each other for the mic.

A warm feeling spreads over his chest when he looks at her. He knows it's not just the highball he nurses over the span of an hour. He knows it's not just the satisfaction of his plan going well. He knows it's not indigestion from the burnt meat he didn't eat back in the restaurant.

Uraraka's smiling brown eyes turn to his. Suddenly his chest feels something akin to heartburn.

She says something that's drowned out by Monoma and Utsushimi competitively screaming _"I really really really really really really like you!" _Shouto has to lean in closer to hear her. "What was that, Secretary Uraraka?"

She brings her mouth closer to his ear. Her warm breath smells like the strawberry syrup from whatever sweet drink is in her hand. It's unnervingly pleasant. Shouto has to concentrate to understand what she's saying. "I said, thanks Director! I really-"

_-Really really really really really like you!.. And I want you! Do you want me?-_

"-how about you?"

Shouto meets her expectant gaze, for once not knowing what to say. "... yes," he answers, after a beat.

She smiles. Her cheeks are glowing light and pink, like sakura petals in the spring. "That's awesome!" She says, for once letting go of the usual formal Japanese she uses with him. "You should join the team for drinks even after I quit, okay?"

"... ah."

Suddenly irritated, he takes a good healthy swig of his drink and swallows with a grimace. Well… this is fine. This is only phase one of his plan. Knowing how decisive Uraraka is, she isn't going to change her mind about him that easily. It's actually better this way. That's the secretary he hired, after all. That's the person he wants to keep at his side.

Kirishima's spiky head pushes between their conversation. "Heyyyy! Uraraka! Are you thanking Directoroki over here?! No fair, I wanna thank him too!"

"Excuse me?" Shouto says stiffly. The redhead ignores him though and traps him in a bone-crushing hug.

"I appreciate you! You… are the bestest, manliest boss ever, Directoroki!" Kirishima hiccups rather dramatically and rubs his cheek against Shouto's. "And you deserve the world! And you should… you should-"

Shouto gives Uraraka a horrified look, which she throws right back at him. She visibly gains some sobriety as she attempts to pry off Kirishima's muscular arm off of him with little success. "Kirishima-kun, you should drink some water and-"

"Heyyyyy Kiri move over! I wanna thank the Director too! Hic~" Suddenly, Shouto's other side is being hugged by another unwelcome warm body reeking of alcohol. He freezes like a block of cement as Ashido straight-up cuddles him. "Like, you're an awesome… awesome, handsome man, like oh my god I can't believe how handsome you are up close, what the hell! Have you ever seen a man so beautiful you want to cry? Wait, what am I saying?…"

As Ashido starts weeping and getting lost in his face, Shouto decides he has had enough. He's ready to shove the two assistants aside when another one decides he wants attention too.

Monoma has abandoned the stage and decides to join them. "How dare you smother the Director without me!" Fueled by alcohol, he reaches new heights of extraneousness and places himself across the increasingly uncomfortable Shouto's lap. "Director, pick me! I'm your favorite, aren't I?"

"Secretary Uraraka-" Shouto barks like an SOS.

Monoma pouts with a noise. "Her again? It's always her! Are you in-love with her or something?"

It's Uraraka's turn to make an exasperated noise. "Honestly, you three! You are gonna get fired by tomorrow if you keep harassing the Director!"

It's amazing how she's still able to read Shouto's mind so perfectly even in an absurd situation like this. But for all her warnings, all he gets for it is more unwanted bodily contact. "Harassment?! Not on my watch!"

Iida's bellow is steadfast, but his gait is definitely not. It's almost impressive how he keeps his body straight while also walking in an unsteady zigzag towards whatever it is that's going on around Shouto and ends up dropping at his feet. Haplessly groping the director's pants leg, he demands, "Cease this needless groping of the Director at once!"

"I'm getting major FOMO, y'all! Move over!" To top off this mess, Utsushimi sits near Shouto's other foot next to Iida's fallen body and takes her hundredth selfie with everyone. "Best party ever faaaam! Peace!"

That's it, everyone is fired. Shouto is about ready to throw all of them to the floor and all their employment forms in the shredder, until a strange sound floats to his ear amidst all the drunken noises.

_"Pffffttt-" _

Uraraka is covering her mouth and holding onto her stomach in desperation. At first he's worried that she's in pain from a ruptured appendix, but further inspection reveals stuttered breathing, reddening cheeks, a smile so big that her trademark round cheeks are struggling to support it. It's obvious that she worked so hard not to make the strange sound, but one snort and all anyone can do is watch the dam break.

Secretary Uraraka is laughing at him earnestly for the first time in nine years.

Now this shouldn't be strange as Shouto is not a humorous man and has never given her any reason to laugh before. But now that he thinks about it, isn't it strange to spend nine years with someone and never see them laugh or smile like this? Why hasn't he noticed until now?

If-no, _when _he marries her (because he definitely will, there's no way his plan is going to fail), is she going to allow herself to laugh like this?

"I'm s-sorry, Director," she wheezes after another minute of desperate laughter. He's never seen someone laugh so much that they're in tears. He didn't know it was a thing that happened. "I'm-we're all going to write letters of apology tomorrow, I promise! Please don't fire anyone!"

He takes a steadying breath. "All right. I'll be expecting them at seven in the morning. Sharp."

His team finally lets him go with a stunned air about them, staring at his face in interest.

"Uh… the Director's smiling. I must be dreaming," Ashido mumbles in a daze.

"Or wasted. I'm never drinking again." Monoma says, holding back a gag.

The rest of the office agrees and follows the sober Shouto to his car.

* * *

With Uraraka's guidance, they're able to drop off all the members of his office at their designated homes without much problems. Because her home is the farthest one, Shouto takes his time getting to the correct exits (he still had to make a couple of u-turns here and there) and driving his car slowly through the narrow streets to avoid any wayward pots. He is proud to say that he is able to make it without any further incidents. Uraraka gets down from his car safely.

He escorts her as far as the unimpressive entrance to her apartment. "So… this is me, Director," she says quietly, feet shuffling against the welcome mat. "Um. Thanks for dropping me off, but you didn't need to walk me all the way here."

"It's nothing."

She has a difficult time keeping eye contact with him tonight, which is rare. Maybe it's from her impulsive actions earlier, or maybe because she's noticed the way he's plotting the exact color and diameters of her wide brown eyes, her cheeks. The more he stares, the pinker her cheeks get. It's an interesting scientific phenomenon.

Objectively speaking, Uraraka has an... _acceptable _face. People with acceptable faces tend to be subjected to prolonged looks. From experience he knows how uncomfortable this can get and hates that he's subjecting her to the same treatment, but he can't stop staring. She's just so… round. And soft-looking. He's tempted to touch her cheeks even if there's no real purpose behind them than to see if they're as soft as they appear.

He doesn't usually get senseless impulses like this. Maybe he isn't that sober after all.

Uraraka clears her throat and finally looks up at him. "Out of curiosity, Director. You never joined us for drinks before, but tonight you really… um…"

He hums. "Everyone needs an ordinary night out to unwind, once in a while."

Upon the word _ordinary, _her face falters, and then contorts into laughter again-truly an interesting sound. "There's nothing ordinary about the night you gave us, Director Todoroki! But it's good. It's fun. You really surprised us, in a good way."

What, so his attempts at ordinary failed after all? He's a little nonplussed about this, but the giggle from her tells him that it isn't all for nothing.

"But please, no more surprises in the future, okay? I'm not sure if my heart can take it."

"I make no such promises," he says flatly, "but if your heart is not okay, please get a comprehensive cardiovascular workup done as soon as possible."

Uraraka's eyes crease in a way he's never seen before. "Goodnight, Director Todoroki."

He steps away from her with a feeling suspiciously similar to reluctance. She doesn't go in immediately and instead sees him off at the entrance. Just before he gets back to the driver's seat, he calls out, "Uraraka,"

"Yes, Director?" she calls out in mild surprise.

"I warned you not to underestimate me." He gives her a little upturn of the lips and climbs aboard. "Goodnight."

The last thing he sees of her is her stunned figure through the rearview mirror. Satisfied, he speeds off into the night without a second glance.

* * *

_**AN**:_ ksajasdkfsj this is posted earlier than scheduled but that's only because im excited about the next chapter askdfj;asjfkl;  
Re: updates - I'm still deciding which day of the week is best for that! I always try to be a few chapters ahead though, so expect an update at least once a week :)  
As always, thank you for all the comments! Dang, all the Kacchakos, y'all have amazing taste, thank you for reading this and I hope you like what's in store for him (and Ochako and Shouto lol) in the following chapters!


	5. Fly Me To The Moon

**and you say, stay  
**Chapter 5: Fly Me To The Moon

_AN: __For anime-onlys: a minor spoilery detail about a major character's true name is mentioned here, and will be mentioned in later chapters~_

* * *

The Office of the Executive Director begins the next day in abject and utter suffering. Struggling through their hangovers, they each draft out their gravely-worded apology letters while passing out a bottle of aspirin between them.

"Oh my god, I can't even remember how we got home, Kiri!" Mina whines, slapping a cold compress over her forehead. "I woke up on the bedroom floor feeling like I got punched in the face! Where were you? You should have carried me to bed!"

"I was home too," Kirishima groans through a hefty chug of his protein shake. "I passed out on the stairs, remember? I felt so bad I couldn't do a single dragon flag this morning! Not manly!"

"I, too, awakened in a most uncomfortable position! My head was at the foot of my bed, my feet were on my pillows, and my pyjamas were inside-out!" Iida adds in utter humiliation. "How did we arrive home safely? Did the Director teleport us home, somehow?"

"No, he drove all of us home," Ochako answers, gathering all their letters for them. "So you should all thank him when you can, okay?

"Really? The Director was there last night?" Monoma grumbles irately. "Figures. All I remember is the vague stench of evil and existential dread. I bet I drank so much so I can ignore his demonic aura."

Camie snorts. "Cuz, you sat right in the bossman's lap. You got no rights anymore."

"What?!"

Monoma demands to see evidence, and Camie happily complies to everyone's horror. Her many blurry selfies of the night before painted an awful, embarrassing picture. Only the owner of the phone finds this amusing. Her promises not to upload anything can only do so much to stave off the shame.

"Utsushimi-kun! I implore you to get rid of this evidence!" Iida begs.

Camie hums. "Change my mind. You can start with an orange frappuccino~"

As another argument goes forth, Ochako leaves them with an amused smile and makes her way to Director Todoroki's office.

With a gentle knock, she enters the room and finds him seated behind his computer. Unlike her officemates, there is no evidence of a headache or exhaustion in him. It would have been infuriating if she had the same terrible hangover as the rest of them, but luckily she watched her intake last night and her head's clear.

Not-so-luckily though, she clearly remembers laughing at the Director and everyone else. And she can't pretend to forget if he asks her about it, because just thinking about everyone cuddling the Director makes her want to burst out laughing again.

Because of that, she places the apology letters over to his desk with her own letter on the top of the pile. "Here is all that you asked us to accomplish, Director," she says as politely as she can.

Todoroki hums in disinterest, eyes not moving from a set of data on his computer. It's obvious that he's going to ask her to shred these documents later without so much as reading them. It's some small relief for them at least, because then they can pretend none of this happened. "Asui from Marketing requested an emergency meeting with us about the art center project. You have all the proposals for the launch ready, right?"

"Of course, Director. We just need the Chairman's approval. I've already sent an email to their office about it."

He clicks his tongue and tugs on his tie in thought. "Send another reminder to Takami-san. I need an answer before lunch."

"Yes, Director," Ochako says, eyeing his fingers on the tie. While at first she hated that she had to fix his tie for him so often, it's now a point of pride for her to keep the Director looking neat at all times. So much so that it annoys her to see it so crooked.

It's pure muscle memory at this point that she's stepping over to his side and her hands are flying to his tie, pulling at it expertly until it's tidy. She took all the trouble convincing him that morning that he can wear this diamond-patterned tie instead of the solid dark blue ones that he preferred. She has to make sure that he looks perfect.

"You're perfect." Satisfied with the results, she looks up at him and directly meets his eyes.

The demon Director's stare is famous for a lot of reasons-the color, the intensity, the way they make you feel like you're both burning alive and freezing at the same time. It's not a metaphor Ochako likes because being burned must feel terrible (his scar tells a story all on its own), and also she's used to being the target of that stare when he's irritated or dissatisfied, so she knows it in a way that cannot be enjoyed.

But now he's staring at her the way he was last night at her doorstep. The burning feeling behind it is less like fire and more like the warmth of her blood rushing through her veins and the throb of her pulse. It's intense, unwavering. Ochako's hypnotized for exactly half a second too long.

"Thanks," he says absentmindedly. "I could have done that myself."

She snaps herself out of the trance. "With all due respect Director, you didn't. But, noted."

All the strange thoughts fly out of the window of the 65th floor office. It's good that she's reminded of how infuriating he is. His vague warning about how he shouldn't underestimate her might be making her see him in a different (inaccurate) light, but she should know better. She bows and turns with a suppressed huff when he calls to her again, "Secretary Uraraka."

She turns to him. After a thoughtful pause, he asks, "You speak with your colleagues differently, don't you?"

She blinks. "Not that I know of, Director. Has anyone sent a complaint about the way I speak? I should apologize and clear up any misunderstandings-"

"No, not them." He gestures out the door. "Iida and the others. Last night you spoke with them informally. Using '_ sure thing' _or ' _yup' _instead of ' _of course,' _for example."

"I… see." Gosh, he sounds so _weird _just trying to talk in a casual way. "It's only when we're drinking. But if it offends you..."

He shakes his head. "It's… fine. In fact, you may use that sort of language with me. Provided that it's just the two of us, of course."

Ochako stares at him incredulously. "Beg yer pardon?" she mutters by accident.

"Yes, like that." Todoroki gives her a reassuring nod. "That's what they call the Kansai accent, right?"

She tries not to slip into her accent again when she asks, "May I know what brought this on, Director?"

"Are you offended?"

"No, but… this is a strange request."

He shrugs. "You seemed more comfortable speaking that way instead of the usual way you converse with me. Since I am giving the same freedom to Utsushimi, I am granting you the same thing."

Well, Camie hasn't talked to him directly since the interview and since she got drunk in front of him so she can't say that it's exactly the same freedom. Plus Ochako isn't sure that the Director is just telling her that she _can _talk more naturally around him, or if he's commanding her to do so. Frankly it's making her sweat figuring out what he wants.

"If you say so, Director. Of course I'll-"

"Not _of course, _" Todoroki insists. " _Sure thing _."

Ochako gives him a strained smile. "S-sure thing, sir. I'll keep it casual in front of you."

Director Todoroki nods in satisfaction and gets back to work. Ochako walks out of the office and tries to do the same thing, but it's suddenly hard to concentrate.

* * *

A few days later Ochako comes home tired as all hell and not in the best mood, as she does when the Demon Director is extra demonic. Honestly, for all his talk about wanting her to be more comfortable around him, he's making it impossible for her to even breathe normally within his vicinity.

The art center project is now top priority to beat their competitors, so suddenly the office is rushing through all the things they were scheduled to do for the next two months, over the course of three weeks. The stocks of energy drinks and orange juice in the pantry is running dangerously low from their efforts to keep awake. It's so bad that Monoma was even caught drinking 'peasant' instant coffee instead of his usual French press ones.

And Camie… _oof. _Ochako knows that she's trying her best and that this is a lot of pressure for someone who's new to the team, but she missed one of the financial reports completely during the staff meeting. And while both of them apologized for her mistake, Todoroki only directed his ice-cold glare at Ochako.

"Is this how you do transfer of duties, Secretary Uraraka?" She flinches just remembering the cutting edge of his voice. She hates it when he uses that because even though his standards are impossibly high, it tells her that he expected more from her, and she let him down.

Well at least she's home an hour earlier than usual. Director Todoroki told her not to collect Victoria at his home as previously ordered. There's just enough time for her to eat the convenience store katsudon she got on the way home, take a bath, and watch her soaps before angrily passing out on her couch.

… if only her phone would stop ringing! It takes all of her strength not to throw her food over her kitchen table when she fishes for her phone. The name on the screen gives her pause, however, and she's extra careful to mind her tone when she answers, "Chief Midoriya?"

Midoriya Izuku opens up their conversation with another alarming cough. Ochako wonders if this is merely an unfortunate butt-dial until he stammers over the line, "A-ah! Hi, Uraraka-san! This is Midoriya Izuku from Endeavor's Marketing Division! Oh, wait, you know that already, haha."

Ochako laughs cautiously. Even over the phone, Midoriya's usual nervousness is palpable. "Yes sir! How may I help you?"

"Er, yeah! So there's this urgent thing that I need your help with that's, um, related to work. It… it's not weird or anything, it's totally normal, nothing to be alarmed about. So the Director wants-no, not the Director, I mean-_ koff koff koff! _'

Midoriya suffers another coughing fit so violent that it sends Ochako close to panic. "Are you okay sir?! Do you need someone to take you to the hospital?!"

"No, I'm _fiiine. Please don't ask. _" The chief takes a deep breath through the phone which seems to calm him down somewhat. "I'm expecting a package for work, but Secretary Hagakure made a mistake with the shipping address. You're the one closest, so I was wondering if you could pick it up for me?"

That sounded like a weird mistake to make, but she also knew about the time Tooru-chan accidentally ordered twenty Hawaiian pizzas instead of the single calzone that Chief Midoriya wanted to eat for lunch. "Where do you want me to go?"

Midoriya gives her the exact address and pleads with her to be there in twenty minutes. "I hate to be a bother, but this is important for the company, so you can't be late, okay? I'm counting on you, Uraraka-san!"

"Okay Chief! I'm heading out," she says, rushing to her door. Twenty minutes to the address given to her is tight, but she'll make it if she runs to and from the train station.

It's good that she changed out of her office heels and into sneakers. She makes it to the address in fifteen minutes. It's only then that she realizes that she's in the location without knowing who to look for and what to expect.

Also, she's in front of MightyLand, the amusement park in the middle of town dedicated to their governor, All Might. It's closed today for some reason. It's dark, quiet, and scary as amusement parks which are completely dark tend to be.

Ochako calls Midoriya in pure confusion and tells him, "I don't think I'm at the right place, Chief."

Midoriya laughs. "You're exactly where you should be, Uraraka-san."

Wondering what he means, she turns around just as the lights click open all around her, and the stagnant water of the fountain at the entrance springs to life.

She almost drops the phone from her hand as the fake castle gates of MightyLand flash and glow in pinks and blues and greens, sparkling prettily under the night sky. Soft string music plays in the background. The lights along the pathway light up one-by-one like fireflies, guiding her eyes to the entrance of the park.

Breathless, she watches Todoroki Shouto emerge from the gates. And while her eyes dart everywhere trying to make sense of what's happening, his eyes are on nowhere else but her.

"Secretary Uraraka," he calls as soon as he's in front of her. He's in the same three-piece suit and tie she picked for him this morning, but somehow he looked impossibly _devilish _in it tonight. "Fancy meeting you here on this ordinary night."

She should pick her jaw off the floor any second now. "G… good evening, Director Todoroki," she stammers. "Chief Midoriya sent me here on an important errand. I'm afraid I don't understand what-"

"I allowed you to speak as you normally do around me, Uraraka."

"Er… yeah, so," _what the fuck, _she wanted to say, but instead she squeaks out, "What's goin' on?"

Satisfied, he says with an enigmatic smile, "Nothing special. Come."

He signals her to follow him with a bend of a forefinger, and with very little strength in her to ask any further questions, she silently follows him into the park.

* * *

She should have known that there wasn't anything ordinary waiting for her that night.

Even though everything is lit up and functional, the park is entirely empty except for them. While Ochako is busy gawking at all the sights, Director Todoroki is leading the way with brisk, purposeful steps. It takes some effort for her to keep up with his relentless pace until he gets to the destination in mind. Before she realizes it, they're at the Smashville area of the park, where all the big, scary rides are.

Ochako stares up in horror at Todoroki's first choice of activity: The Carolina.

"It's a drop tower, 100 meters tall. We rise to the top at an excruciating pace of 10 km/h and drop at a speed of 100 km/h. Not the tallest or the fastest in the world, but it's in the top ten," the unfazed Director explains like he's talking about the latest performance review. He holds a hand out to the seat at the very center and says, with a smile that looks evil, "After you."

Ochako doesn't know how she wills her feet to move, but with nobody to help her escape, she gets strapped in right next to her calm boss.

"D-Director-"

"I know you're excited," Todoroki says when they're fifty meters above ground. "Don't hold back."

There's nothing to hold back, not even her internal organs, when the first drop occurs. And the next one, and the next one. Ochako screams as she's never screamed before, while Todoroki is so silent that she legitimately worries if he passed out in the middle of the ride.

He didn't. With a spring in his step, he hops off from the ride and assists her shaking body off the ride. "You must be excited. Don't worry. There's more to come."

Oh, _god. _

He takes her to the other extreme rides: The Nebraska, The California, The Detroit. Ochako never imagined that there's more than one way to drop and spin and tumble anyone via a machine, but with each new ride she loses part of her soul and all sensation of her legs. Todoroki's unnervingly steady after each ride, however, and just brings her to the next one without an ounce of hesitation.

By the time he brings her to the _coup de grace _of all the rides-The United States of Smash, the biggest roller coaster in Japan-she's sure of it. The Demon Director brought her here to punish her for all her misdeeds.

"You must be looking forward to this one all night, Secretary Uraraka," Todoroki says with that same dark smile. "If you're ready to get on, then…"

_He wants to kill her. _

Rushing to the nearest wastecan, she hurls up an entire rainbow consisting of all the colors of the energy drinks she ingested that day.

_Dammit, how embarrassing! _She would have cried but it already takes a lot of effort to stop the earth from spinning in the wrong direction. She hurls for another solid minute when she feels a cold, comforting hand tentatively rubbing circles on her back.

The rush of cool surprisingly makes her feel better in an instant. She stands up and bows to him apologetically. "Director… sorry. This is really icky," she whimpers helplessly. "I'm super weak when it comes to rides like this. I get dizzy real easy."

He holds out his expensive silk handkerchief to her. "No, it's my mistake. I should have anticipated that you had weak labyrinths."

Were her ears deceiving her, or did that sound like an apology? She takes his handkerchief and wipes her face gratefully. "No… you looked like you wanted to do all those things, so I did my best to keep up."

Todoroki blinks. "Ah. But I thought you wanted to…" When Ochako stares at him curiously, he pauses and considers his next words carefully. "I assumed that you liked this amusement park like everybody else does. I must have made an error in judgment."

She laughs weakly. "Nah, I've always wanted to go back to MightyLand… just not Smashville."

He ponders on this briefly. "... okay." He holds his hand out ahead of them and tilts his head ever so slightly. "Secretary Uraraka, for tonight, you lead and I'll follow. What do you want to do next?"

She doesn't hide her surprise at that. And thinks about it. And smiles excitedly.

A long walk to the other side of the park later, Director Todoroki looks up at her ride of choice blankly. "Space World." he deadpans.

It's a cutesy, slow ride made for kids that simulates a gentle ride through outer space, complete with planets and aliens and constellations. In front is a statue of Thirteen, the famous space explorer that she idolized when she was in grade school.

"Let's go in right now! Hurry, Director!"

She can hardly believe it. She had promised herself to get on this ride after her resignation, and she's even willing to line up with all the little kids on a busy weekend just to get here. Yet here she is, no lines, no embarrassing explanations necessary, just her and the Director and the fake stars. Once the little train brakes in front of her she's climbing on it in an instant.

She doesn't even notice that she's dragging Todoroki by the hand until they're side by side in the car and the lights grow dim around them.

"Oh. Sorry," she squeaks, thankful that outer space is supposed to be dark and he doesn't get to see her blush.

Even then, she feels his gaze on her. But he says nothing as the first comet passes them by.

Ochako gasps. It's a lot prettier than she imagined. The narration drones above them as an emulation of the Big Bang blooms above and around them like a flower. "Oh my gosh, look at that! I can't believe it, it feels so real! Director, isn't this pretty?!"

She feels the subtle turn of Director Todoroki's head toward her. "Yes. Beautiful," he mumbles somewhere close to her. After a pause, he adds, "I don't think it feels real, though. If it did, we'd be suffocating by now. There's no oxygen in the vacuum of space."

"Geez, Director, just enjoy it."

"I am," he assures her, as the little car follows Jupiter into orbit.

But just like that, the ride is over. Ochako is sad when they have to get off-that is, until Todoroki tells her, "We can stay here if you want to go again."

So she happily pulls him down on the seat next to her, pulls the bar down, and goes through the ride again.

Seven more times.

To his credit, Todoroki sits with her the entire time without complaints. Although she hears him silently fuming in his seat every time she goes "again, again!" She'd feel guilty over it, but dammit he made her go through the Carolina and the Nebraska and the California and the Detroit-twice!-and she needed this after all that he put her through that week.

Anyway, she makes it more tolerable for him by telling him everything she knows about the planets and the stars that the narration doesn't tell them. "You know, Saturn has 150 moons! Some of them are bigger on Earth, and most of them are frozen solid! Some of them might have oceans under the surface too!"

"I know," he says quietly. "But keep going."

Of course he knows _everything. _But he doesn't seem to want to ruin her mood, so there's that. She continues feeding him all the space facts she knew happily.

The moment she says "Okay I'm good," Director Todoroki gets them off that ride so quickly he almost lifts her up off the seat. "Back to earth with you, Secretary Uraraka."

She giggles. "Why, Director! Speaking figuratively? I didn't think you knew how."

He blinks, as if astonished with himself. "Huh. I guess there's a first time for everything."

He drives her out of the park and into a different part of the city. There's a field decorated with fairy lights, flowers (all hypoallergenic, he says when she braces herself for a sneeze attack) and a table set for two. Below them is the city, and above them are the stars. It's mind boggling how beautiful the set-up is.

Todoroki leads her to the table. As soon as she sits down, there's fancy vintage wine being poured in her glass. From a distance, she sees Sato doing finishing touches on a pretty plate. He winks at her when she catches his eye.

They're served steak, and pasta, and fancy vegetables with violets on them. They're all delicious as expected, but then Sato comes out with what seems like an unlimited supply of strawberry mochi for them and she's instantly melting.

"Everything is so good, I can't believe it," she gushes. Oh man, the mochi is so good. If she kept up at it, she's seriously going to _explode. _

"Good. I'm glad you like it." There's a smug look on his face when he says this. Dangerous…

"Director... what's this about?" she asks suspiciously. This isn't another ploy to get her to not quit, is it? If he ends up proposing again, she is seriously going to break something expensive (and probably regret it later).

He hums as he cuts up his mochi neatly. "We had a welcome party for Utsushimi. It's only fair that you had a goodbye party of your own to show my appreciation before you leave. Nothing special, but something ordinary that you liked."

No proposals then? That's a relief. She was going to say no (really, she was!) if he had asked, and that would have ruined such a beautiful night. "Director… I'm sorry, but there's nothing ordinary about what you did for me!"

He blinks. "Taking you to an amusement park and treating you to dinner isn't ordinary?"

It's almost amazing that he's genuinely baffled, but then again she expected nothing less from Todoroki Shouto. "Closing an amusement park so we had it all to ourselves and then treating me to a five star dinner prepared by a famous chef to a picnic under the stars is _not _what I'd call an ordinary date, Director."

Wait. Date? Did she say date? Is she out on a date with the Director?

"I see. I'll take note of that." Oh no, he didn't deny it! "For next time."

Next time?! Oh no. No no no. She can't date the Director! Reiko and Yui would kill her if they found out! And she didn't mean it, he suckered her into it, she didn't want to, not really-

"But you really enjoyed yourself, so I consider this a success," Todoroki says, satisfied. "You made me ride Space World seven times. I'd give you a salary deduction if you said you didn't enjoy yourself."

He is never going to let go of this, is he? Despite that, she laughs again. "I went overboard, didn't I? It's just that I've wanted to ride that since I was a little girl. You wouldn't wanna hear it, it isn't exactly a happy story."

He stares at her. "Tell me."

She swallows a bit of mochi reluctantly before starting her story with a sigh. "Well… Director, if you remember from my job interview nine years ago, I told you that I started working for you because I needed to earn money as quickly as possible. It's obviously because my family wasn't well-off, and I was the only one who can earn money somehow."

"... I remember."

"Well… even when I was little, we were poor. We lived where MightyLand was before the houses there got demolished, so that space is kind of special to us. Sometimes Ma and Pa had extra money to bring me and my cousin Yui there, but the money wasn't ever enough for passes to get to rides like Space World. Even though I wished for it so hard, I never had the chance."

Todoroki unexpectedly watches her tell her story in rapt attention. "I see. Why Space World?"

She shrugs. "Why not Space World? Outer space is great, isn't it?"

She would have studied astrophysics in university if she could, but there's no point in telling the Director that. He doesn't seem like the type who feels guilty over anything, but she doesn't want to test that by admitting that she chose to stay by his side instead of doing what she really wanted.

"So, that's the sad, sad story of my youth. How about you, Director? You must have been a more interesting kid than I was."

Todoroki keeps those distinct eyes on her-a black hole and an entirely blue galaxy, she suddenly thinks, moons with oceans hiding under frozen wastelands, the waves beneath straining to reach the surface. He seems to want to reveal them to her, just for a second, but the second passes, and time remains locked.

"No, not really," he finally decides on saying. "Nothing much happened to me. I grew up as Enji's heir from the start and worked hard from the moment I learned how to talk. I had no choice, because my older brother failed. Fuyumi and Natsuo were never given the chance to try."

An older brother? Is he talking about Natsuo? While it's true that Todoroki Natsuo won't ever be the heir of Endeavor because he chose to become a physician instead, Ochako could have sworn the Director was talking about someone else.

"It was difficult, but I met most of his expectations, and now I'm here." His eyes become cold again. Knowing that he gets this way after talking about Todoroki Enji is just the basics of dealing with Todoroki Shouto.

It was her mistake to even suggest bringing up his childhood. Now it's her job to ease him out of it. "You did great, Director. If we were friends when we were kids, I'd have been the first to cheer you on."

He freezes for just a second, a look of pure enigma in his eyes. "... is that so? Do you think we would have been friends if we met earlier?"

He seems to be expecting an honest answer out of her. Ochako guesses it has to do with certain parts of his past that he obviously doesn't want her to see. She can't blame him, but in all honesty, if they were both young and innocent, being friends with him wouldn't have been hard. "Yes Director. I don't doubt it."

He looks genuinely taken aback by this. A second passes before he allows himself a relieved smile. "Thank you for your vote of confidence. I'd believe you more if you don't quit."

"Don't even try it, sir."

He clicks his tongue. And then, in true Todoroki fashion, the conversation's suddenly over.

With the taste of strawberries lingering in her mouth, she follows as he leads them to a grassy knoll some ways away from dinner. Flowers of all colors surround their feet, glowing ethereally under the moonlight. The city below, the stars above. It's a beautiful night.

And… cold. Ochako is painfully reminded that she's in a thin silk blouse and the denim shorts she wore at home when a particularly sharp gust of wind blows past them.

Todoroki observes her with a stern look. "You're not in appropriate clothing."

"I didn't know you were going to bring me to such a windy place, Director."

"You weren't supposed to know. This is a surprise, after all."

Still, he looks frustrated that she's so cold-not a good look. Her secretary instincts tell her to do something about that. Trying to smile meaningfully through her chattering teeth, she suggests, "You know, ordinary guys offer their jackets to their dates when it gets chilly."

He blinks twice before he makes that _eureka! _face again. "I have an idea, Uraraka. Since you're cold, you should wear my coat."

"Oh-but you'll get cold."

"No, I'm always temperature regulated," he says with a voice that doesn't leave her much room to (pretend to) argue.

He drapes his coat around her easily. He's much taller than her and has wider shoulders, so naturally she's swallowed instantly in fine woollen bliss. She suppresses a sigh when she feels the toasty warmth, and suppresses a shudder when she feels his fingers brush around her shoulders and her neck.

"Is this okay?" he asks earnestly when he notices her shiver. His warm breath tickles her ear.

She nods through the overwhelming feel of his voice vibrating through her body. Oblivious to this, he nods in satisfaction and looks up at the stars. She stares at his profile against the moon, feeling light-headed and mesmerized at everything.

Oh, gods, _this is a date _. Reiko and Yui are going to kill her in her sleep.

When he notices her staring, he gives her an odd, puzzled look. "Secretary Uraraka. Since you like the stars so much, you should take advantage of this. I suggest keeping your eyes off me and keeping them to the sky."

A vein pops on her forehead. Okay, so the Director is still the same clueless demon with no sense of romance. No surprise. This _isn't _a date, after all.

She follows his orders and looks up at the sky, lined by a myriad of shooting stars.

* * *

After the star-gazing session, they both decide that it's late and he brings her home. He drives the car, and thankfully this time the drive goes by smoothly. He parks at the narrow street in front of her home and follows her out of the car, looking strangely self-assured.

"Director, thanks for the great evening," she says. "I'm honestly speechless. For a surprise, that was…"

A small smile is on his lips when he asks, "Ideal?"

"Yes, exactly, ideal." Wait. Ideal. Where has she heard that before?

"Hm. I thought you'd say that," he says smugly. "I doubt that anybody else will give you as much mochi as you had tonight."

_Describe your ideal partner. _

_A tall, handsome guy with a stable job who will feed me mochi until I explode! _

"And I don't think anyone else will bring you to an amusement park and a picnic under the stars in the span of a single evening."

_Describe an ideal excursion with your ideal partner. _

_A date in MightyLand, where we can ride all the rides I like as much as I want!_

_A simple picnic with tasty food where we can go stargazing afterward is pretty neat too!_

This guy is a _sneaky, sneaky bastard. _Ochako crosses her arms in front of her as Director Todoroki ambles confidently to the trunk of his car. "Finally, I doubt that any other ordinary man will give you…"

_Describe an ideal product that you would like to receive from your ideal partner. _

_A giant stuffed toy that I can hug in my sleep! _

_(I don't care what it looks like as long as it's soft and cute!)_

"Director," she cuts him off with a controlled smile. "There's… a giant stuffed toy in the back of the trunk, isn't there?"

Todoroki freezes just as he pulls out the offending item-a giant stuffed cat.

"... how did you predict this," he says stiffly as he presents the gift to her.

She laughs. "Chief Midoriya almost had a heart attack giving me that survey, you know. You should make it up to him."

"... maybe," he says, although the sudden dark look in his eyes tells her otherwise. She should apologize to the freckled Chief when things happen. "In any case, this is for you, if you'll have it. It's your very own Victoria. You should be grateful to have such a beautiful object."

The cat is white and about half as big as her, with a squinty smile and a little bell on its collar. She won't admit it, but she loves it immediately. She takes it from the Director. "Thank you, Director. I am filled with such gratitude."

"Formal language, again?"

"I'm just teasing."

He huffs. "You seem to be getting used to that, Secretary Uraraka. I don't approve."

She snickers. "Yeah? Well, approve _this! _"

She playfully smacks the cat's face right into his. She doesn't know why she suddenly had the balls to do something like that, but the small surprised _mmph _he produces makes it all worth the risk. When he pushes the cat off of him to glare at her, she's in another fit of giggles.

"I thought you had a good time. Is this how you say goodnight?" he asks in mild annoyance.

"I did! And, yes," she says with a confident smile.

"Strange. That's not what I know of ordinary people saying goodnight on ideal dates."

Without warning, he steps closer to her, and closer, and closer. She should be backing up to keep a safe distance, far enough that he doesn't hear her blood rushing or her heart beating or her mind racing into oblivion. She should, but she doesn't-all she does is hold her breath.

Even when he meets her eyes.

Even when he leans in closer.

Even when her eyes are suddenly squeezing tight in anticipation of something she shouldn't.

Whatever it is she was waiting for doesn't come, however. Because what she feels in that cold, dark, anxious and _excited _void is something cold pressing into the very tip of her nose.

When she comes to, she's staring cross-eyed right at his index finger.

_Todoroki Shouto is poking her on the nose. _

He gives a little satisfied smile and steps back. "That's how they do it, right?"

She stammers, face impossibly red. "No? That's not a thing anyone does in any planet! Where did you even learn that?!"

He chuckles lightly, the sound of it another shock to her senses. "I guess being ordinary is more challenging than I thought. Goodnight, Secretary Uraraka."

Why is he so weird? Why is she feeling so bamboozled? Before she can make any sensible words out of her mouth, the Director is already behind the wheel and smugly driving off into the night.

God, all she can do is to run into her apartment, dive on the bed and hide her face over Her Very Own Victoria's face to hide her blush. But then she remembers what she made this doll do (read: smack the Director in the face), and then she remembers that smooshing her face against it is exactly the wrong thing to do.

Great. How is she supposed to sleep now? _Stupid Director! _

* * *

**_AN: _**_Finally changed the title yeahhhhhh  
_I really really enjoyed myself writing this chapter! I hope you like it as much as I do!  
Now, can anyone top this experience for Ochako? Let's see next week~


	6. What You're Missing

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 6: What You're Missing**

* * *

Thanks to the Director, she sleeps a grand total of 4 hours that night. Seems that no matter what that guy does, she ends up sleep-deprived. If it's not deadlines, it's unwarranted marriage proposals, and if it's neither of those it's his weird words and his clueless stare and his warm jacket and his infinite mochis and the silly boop at her nose and the best first date she's ever had.

Granted she doesn't have another first date to compare this to, except for that one guy in high school who gave her the french fries that came with his burger. Maybe it's too presumptuous for her to say that it's the best date ever. But, Director Todoroki closed down MightyLand for a date! And let her ride Space World_ seven times_! If another guy existed in the world who could bring her to a private date in an amusement park and then feed her five-star food under the stars please stand up.

Actually, it didn't have to be as stellar as this one. Anybody else who _isn't _her Demon Boss is welcome to make her feel as giddy as she does now. Ochako still hasn't accepted that she can allow herself to feel this way for her demon-of-a-boss. It doesn't stop her stupid mouth from _smiling _the entire night, though.

"Your owner is too much. He totally ruined all the other first dates for me," she tells Her Very Own Victoria (Victoria II for short) sourly. "And you smell like him so it's also your fault I couldn't sleep!"

The doll smiles innocently.

"Humph! You're lucky that you're really cute and really soft," she mutters, burying her face into the cat doll's plush head for the umpteenth time. She's so frickin' fluffy and just the exact size for hugging. Ochako can forgive that she looks like the first cat she's ever met who has managed to become the bane of her existence.

Mid-hug, she feels something within the doll. Something hollow with edges, hidden within Victoria II's little jumper. Warily, she inspects the pocket and fishes out a pretty box tied with a ribbon.

A teardrop-shaped moonstone hanging from a delicate silver chain shimmers prettily when she opens the box. It's nothing like the big or flashy white gold/diamond encrusted pieces the Director gave his previous girlfriends, but Ochako instantly likes it without question. It's dainty and so, so _pretty, _glowing a shade of blue that's just like moonlight.

But she keeps herself from becoming _too _excited. There's no note, no labels, nothing. Director Todoroki didn't mention that he had two gifts for her and there's no reason why he'd buy her anything like this. Maybe he left it here by accident?

She could have waited to ask him when she visits his penthouse in an hour, but she's impatient and it might be awkward to tell him he gave her the wrong gift in person. She takes a chance and sends him a casual SMS:

_Uraraka Ochako (0455 AM) [image attached] _

_Uraraka Ochako (0456 AM): this was in Victoria II's pocket _(*✧×✧*)

_Director Todoroki (0456 AM): Of course it is. I put it there. _

_Director Todoroki (0456 AM): Do you like it? _

Ochako is surprised for a couple of reasons-one is that he's up super early, and another is that _what, it wasn't a mistake! _Why would the Director give her something like this after treating her to so many other things last night?

Well… it isn't always easy to see the Director's intentions, but Ochako has had a nine-year master's class on that. The most obvious answer is what he said last night-that is, it is simply something to say goodbye, to show his appreciation. Some bosses are just that generous. She'll happily ignore all the other weird, confusing, (heartracing) things he said and did in favor of that very reasonable explanation.

_Uraraka Ochako (0457 AM): Of course, Director! _

_Uraraka Ochako (0457 AM): I mean, sure do! _(=✪ᆽ✪=) _Thank you, I really like it! _

_Uraraka Ochako (0458 AM): Oh, I'm also leaving for the penthouse in a while. Please wait for me. _

_Director Todoroki (0458 AM): I'll be fine. You can come to work at seven. _

_Uraraka Ochako (0459 AM): Are you sure? I'm awake now, it'll be easy for me to come to you to assist you. _

_Director Todoroki (0501 AM): I'm sure. Just be ready with our agenda when I get to work. _

_Director Todoroki (0501 AM): [image attached] _

_Director Todoroki (0502 AM): By the way, this Victoria is requiring you to wear that necklace today. _

The image he sends her shows the living British Shorthair in all her irate glory. She's loafed up over a futon and frowning enthusiastically at the camera as if she's aware that the photo is meant for Ochako. She'd chortle at the ridiculousness of it, but then she sees the Director's long pajama-clad legs and a portion of his bare torso in the background and suddenly her face feels ridiculously hot.

_Stupid Director. _Despite that she sends him another thank you message and takes another moment staring at the necklace. It's so pretty over her fingers, is it really okay to just wear it?

She clasps the delicate chain around her neck and stares at the moonstone hanging near her collarbone. _Oh no _, it looks nice on her. She can wear this to work everyday, and judging by the angry cat's grimace she really has to.

_Well, orders are orders, _she thinks coolly as she tries her darndest not to explode in a giddy mess while getting ready for work.

* * *

"Ochako-chan?" Mina asks with narrowed eyes as soon as she steps in the office at six thirty in the morning. "You're late?"

Office hours begin at eight, but the staff of the Office of the Executive Director usually starts their day at six. For Ochako to appear thirty minutes late without the Director is terribly unusual, and immediately everyone's glaring at her suspiciously.

"Sorry. Traffic. It happens," Ochako answers, fighting not to avoid everyone's eyes. "But it's okay, the Director knows. You guys shouldn't worry about him being in a bad mood or anything."

"This is most alarming," Iida murmurs with a concerned flash of his glasses. "This has only ever happened once in your nine year history with the company! And that was during the big earthquake 5 years ago!"

Kirishima shakes his head. "Nah, she was in the director's mansion during that one so it doesn't count. But there was that time when the trains shut down so you had to parkour your way across town to get to work! The Director went Demon-King Mode over that one."

"Yeah, and then he bought you a car. And then you gave it to Shoji," Monoma deadpans in sheer, palpable jealousy. "So what, the Director's gonna buy you another car today? Can you at least drive it once before you give it away?"

Honestly, why does everyone remember every single thing about her work history? "He isn't going to buy me another car, Monoma."

"If he does, you lose and I get the car."

Whatever. "Deal."

Satisfied, Monoma twirls back to his work and the others follow. All except for Camie, who's waiting for her at their reception desk outside of the Director's room. The taller secretary greets her with a coy smile. "Ocha-babes, those stories were _cray. _Did he really buy you a car?"

Ochako laughs nervously. "Yeah… he didn't want me to be late ever again, but I can't just take a _car _, y'know?"

"Ya. I gotcha," Camie says with a wink. "That fab necklace tho? Wouldn't guess that was Directoroki's style but it's cute on you so I say, keep that one."

"Wh-what? No, this isn't from-"

Maybe the wide-eyed sputtering is more incriminating than anything because Camie's smile is bordering on shit-eating. So much for her elaborate lie of ordering it online. In any case, it's too late to defend herself when Director Todoroki himself arrives without warning.

They stand up and bow. "Good morning, Director Todoroki."

Even though it's another rare morning where Todoroki had to do all his morning rituals by himself and his tie is a little crooked, Ochako is surprised at just how dapper he looks in a suit and how his hair looks different when it's styled for work. She wonders why she's taken aback by him now when Director Todoroki being handsome isn't really anything new-in fact, it's a requirement, the product of her hard work on most days. Is it because she didn't see him at the penthouse today?

There's an extra split-second his eyes spend searching for the stone over her collarbone, and another for his mouth to quirk upwards in approval. And then she knows exactly why she feels so weird.

"Secretary Utsushimi, confirm our next meeting with Takami-san from the Chairman's Office. We need to see them before noon today. Don't take no for an answer."

"Gotcha, Director." Camie is on it in a flash, that knowing, _dangerous _smile never leaving her lips as she dials the number. Ochako tries her best not to shudder.

"Secretary Uraraka."

"Yes, Director." After years and years of serving him, that's all she needs to know what she has to do next. Gathering the day's schedule, priority documents, and urgent letters, she follows him into the office.

* * *

Three days pass by them in the usual whirlwind of meetings and gruelling office work. Thankfully Director Todoroki has stopped acting as strange as he did during their private goodbye party, and Ochako has been able to focus on her work as she usually does. With the art center opening looming closer and closer and the day of work they'll lose tomorrow for the annual mandatory Company Day, lord knows they need it.

There's lots to be done, but on that particular day, Ochako is working double-time. She even skips lunch in favor of munching on just a couple of strawberry chocolates while she drafted letters at the speed of light. By 5 PM she is 95% done, so it's worth it.

She lets herself drink her second cup of coffee in the office pantry next to Camie when Mina wobbles in, tired as hell herself. "Move over, ladies. I need coffee and I need it now," she slurs hoarsely.

"Gurl, here you go. Rest. Relax. Lubricate." Camie pushes a freshly made cappuccino over to her, which the pink-haired girl takes gratefully.

"Thanks gurl! You the best! Endeavor Secretaries are like, a different breed of _human, _" Mina says with a sigh. "I haven't seen the two of you get up from your desks the entire day, how are you guys still _alive? _"

"Nah, I was just trynna keep up with Ocha-babes. She's like, in beast mode today."

Ochako laughs awkwardly. "Sorry, Camie-chan! I told you you could take a break anytime. It's just that I have to leave early today, so…"

Mina makes a blubbering noise over her coffee. "Oh gurl wait. Is that today!?"

Ochako beams. "Yep!"

Camie looks at them one after the other. "Uh. What's today, fam? Are you winning the lottery or something?"

"No, _~duh~. _Well, maybe that's one way to put it? The _Lottery of Love. _" Mina snorts. "Our dear angel secretary here is finally going on a date!"

"Oh. Worm." Camie's smile is both coy and intrigued. Ochako can almost _hear _her thoughts ( _I thought you and Directoroki was bonin', but okay _) but all she says is, "That's lit, fam~get it, gurl, I'm rootin' for ya~"

Ochako shakes her head. "Nah, it's just a blind date. I don't even know if we're gonna get along, so..."

Suddenly more energized than the half-dead state she was in when she walked in, Mina vibrates in excitement. "Oh my god, Ochako-I know the guy, okay, and like, I won't spoil anything but I'm _super _sure that the next time we talk about it is the two of you inviting us to your wedding. So you better not be late, because-"

A shattering noise interrupts them from behind.

"-Bakugou's as impatient as the Demon-_ aaaaah, Director, you're bleeding, what happened?! _"

"Ah." Director Todoroki was, for one reason or another, looming behind them and holding a designer cup from Hermes. _Was. _Now it's just shards of 100,000 yen ceramic along with blood and steaming green tea, which he regards with cold nonchalance.

"I broke my cup," he replies blankly.

Ochako is the first to jump to his aid. She zooms past the other girls so she can take all the broken pieces off his hand and examine all the cuts up close. "I can see that! Director, what were you thinking?! Be careful! Oh my gosh you're really bleeding!"

There are exactly four cuts, the longest of which is less than 1 cm, nothing deep, nothing that can leave a scar. Good, good. The tea hasn't burned his right hand, which is a miracle. "Director, you'll be fine. We just need to disinfect this quickly. I'll bring you to the infirmary right now."

Out of nowhere, her hands feel warm. Not from the tea or anything, but from something intense starts to make her skin tingle. When she looks up, Director Todoroki is staring at the point of contact of their hands, his gaze unreadable.

"... sweet," Camie mumbles behind them.

The moment breaks. Ochako (and judging from the chill behind her, Director Todoroki as well) glare at her, while Mina gives her a sharp, meaningful nudge to the ribs.

"The cappuccino, I mean. It's super sweet. The power of stevia, amirite," the other secretary explains, smiling away the pain at her side. "Ocha-babes, the infirmary's too far away. You can take care of Directoroki in the office, right? We gots a first-aid kit there."

Ochako doesn't appreciate the way her eyebrows raise, but Director Todoroki does not seem opposed to the idea. She leads the way back into the office, pulls out the first-aid kit, and treats his wounds over his plush office sofa. "Director, I know you're clumsy sometimes but how did this even happen?! Should we return this set of tea cups? They might be defective..."

"No, this was an accident. There's absolutely. No. Problem," the Director grits out. He seems annoyed for an entirely different unspoken reason, but if he isn't going to say anything, Ochako isn't going to pry.

A few gentle dabs of disinfectant and a few bandaids later, the Director's hand is looking better. If he needs to be in a photoshoot within the next 24 hours she'll just have to tell the photographer to hide his right hand somehow. "There. Good as new. Well… almost."

Todoroki flexes his hand experimentally. "It is. You can get back to work now."

"Oh, about that…" Ochako straightens up and tries to keep her face from being too excited. "I'm almost done for the day, Director. All I need is your signature for this letter here…"

She shows him the English-language letter she drafted for him earlier. He looks through it with a scowl, taking longer than usual to search for any errors. She's confident that there are none, though, and it is almost begrudging how he picks up his fountain pen to scrawl the characters of his name at the bottom.

"Thank you, Director," she says with a bow. "Now… since all my work is done, I wanted to ask if I can leave early."

Todoroki regards her with another fresh, cold scowl. "All of it?"

"Yes, sir."

"I don't think I've seen that report from General Affairs yet."

"You gave that assignment to Secretary Utsushimi. But, Shinsou from General Affairs submitted it this morning. You already replied to them."

Todoroki hums. "How about that meeting with the Belgium group?"

"Monoma-kun and I have sent you and all the other division heads the agenda," she answers confidently. "You also replied to us already."

"And the marketing report for-"

"-there are corrections to be done over at Chief Midoriya's office. Asui-san is taking care of it."

"... Victoria."

She blinks. "She's admitted overnight at Dr. Koda's clinic for an executive check-up, isn't she?"

Todoroki huffs. "... well. It seems that you're truly done for the day."

Ochako raises her eyebrows expectantly. "... so…"

He stares at her for a few, strange moments. She feels his eyes scan hers, and then the necklace around her neck. He obviously isn't happy for some reason, but his mood shifts a little seeing the stone over her collarbone.

"All right," he says. Ochako wonders if she imagined him mumbling, _you win. _"You are dismissed."

Ochako smiles and bows as she leaves the office. "Thank you, Director. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

_Oh my god. I pulled it off. _Feeling adequately victorious, she takes her phone out and sends someone a message. _I'm on my way. See you in twenty minutes! _

* * *

She makes it to the Dagobah Seaside Park in eighteen minutes. Normally she'd be wary to appear so eager, but Kirishima-kun and Mina-chan were pretty pushy about her not being late, so she rushed there as quickly as she could. She only had time to fix her hair a little as she stood near the bench where she's supposed to meet her date. She fishes out her phone just to make sure that she hasn't missed this guy, but then an abrasive voice calls out to her from behind.

"Oi."

Turning swiftly, she looks to the source of the rasp. "Oh… Bakugou Katsuki-san?" she asks cautiously.

"Yeah. Who else?"

He's got the most intense pair of red eyes she's ever seen on a person, and the fluffiest blonde hair. The scowl on his face looks as angry as it does in all the photos that Kirishima has shown her. Even the rasp of his voice is exactly the same as it sounds in all his Youtube videos. It's impossible for her to mistake the guy for anyone else, and he knows it.

"Yeah, who else?" she agrees with a laugh that she hopes doesn't sound too uncomfortable. "Nice to meet you! I'm Uraraka Ochako."

"I figured. You're the only roundface in this shithole," he says with a shrug.

"_ Roundface?! _" she repeats, after an affronted pause.

"Yeah." Bakugou has no reservations at all to peer in closer to her face, as if examining an alien life form. "Shit. I thought Shitty-Hair was shittin' me when he showed me that picture of you stuffing your face with beef ribs. I didn't think anyone's face would be this round. What the fuck. You're like a fuckin' hamster."

"Hahaha, oookay." Ochako steps back away from his fingers which definitely has ill intentions against her cheeks. "Well, I dunno what to tell you, I was born with 'em. How about you, were you born with Pomeranian fur on your head?"

She definitely doesn't want to be rude, but he's managed to say so many curse words and vague insults within the first five seconds of meeting her, and it's _weird._

Bakugou scowls at first, which she expected, but then he laughs-a rough, barking sound. "Damn, talking shit off the bat? To _me?! _I underestimated you, cheeks, you're tougher than you look."

Ochako scrunches up her face. "Not used to it?"

"Nah." Bakugou smirks. "That means you can keep up with me. Let's go. Wasting fuckin' daylight here."

Ochako follows him along the boardwalk and into a small, hip restaurant at the beachfront. Kirishima must have told him about her fear of fire, because he tells her that he would have brought her to this grill he liked that served 'good spicy shit on skewers.' He assures her however that 'this dump isn't that bad and there's no fire.'

"Oi, Soysauce-Face! Get us a table," Bakugou barks as soon as they step in the establishment.

A tall, plain guy whom he addressed as 'Soysauce-Face' turns to him with an exasperated look that turns into a smile when he sees Ochako cowering behind her handbag. "Oi, Bakugou! Date night, huh? I didn't think you had the balls to go through with it."

"Go die," Bakugou grumbles. He doesn't even wait for the guy to take them to their seats and just picks the nicest booth with a view of the ocean, tossing out the little _reserved _signage on it without remorse. Meanwhile the guy, whose name is Sero according to his nameplate, follows her with a menu.

"So… Uraraka, huh?" Sero grins after she introduces herself. "You're Kirishima's friend from the office. Well, it's been ten minutes and you haven't run away screaming from Bakugou yet, so I guess it means the date's going well."

"Shut up, Soy Boy," Bakugou grumbles. "Get us some fuckin' ramen already. Roundface is starving."

So, from the first few moments of the date, Ochako can already pick out things about Bakugou that definitely leave much to be desired. The most obvious of them is his potty mouth and his staunch refusal to call anyone by their actual names. Even though 'Roundface' and 'Angelface' are better than the names he called his friends (apart from the rude names he called Kirishima and Sero, he called Mina 'Raccoon-Eyes,' and there were two others in the group called 'Pikashit' and 'Ears'), it's definitely putting a damper on the entire dating experience.

Okay, so that's the biggest problem with Bakugou. The other things, she admits, might just be her being picky. Like Bakugou ordering for them without asking her what she liked. Bakugou scowling at everything. Bakugou's tendency to scream when he's calling for Sero's attention. Bakugou picking a place that's super crowded and not at all private and intimate. Bakugou only being kinda tall but not really that tall, unlike Director Todoroki-

_-He drapes his coat around her easily. He's much taller than her and has wider shoulders, so naturally she's- _

_Wait, _Ochako thinks in alarm, _Where did that come from?_

"Oi. What's eatin' you, Cheeks?" he grumbles as she literally shakes her head free of any invasive thoughts about the Director.

"Nothing," she laughs awkwardly. "Just that, um, this ramen's really spicy, huh?"

"Hah? That shit is _not _spicy." To demonstrate his point, he dumps another handful of ghost peppers in his. "Mine's better. Try it."

Ochako rolls her eyes. "Thanks, but I'm not interested in getting hemorrhoids."

"Roundface, _what the fuck. _Don't talk about that kinda shit in front of food."

Okay, so maybe she's just picky. If she ignores all those things, this date is actually pretty fun. Despite all the profanities, Bakugou is an interesting person to talk to. He has a lot of stories as extreme investigative journalists tend to have, but to her surprise he asks her things about herself and almost seems (begrudgingly) interested. Ochako can't imagine why-she's just an average secretary of some hotshot executive downtown-but somehow she's telling him about her interest in astrophysics and judo classes at the Gunhead Dojo, and suddenly she seems pretty interesting herself.

"Huh. And here I thought you were some fragile chick," he says with a smirk. "You know you gotta prove it now, right? On our second date, we should try to beat each other's asses or something."

"You got weird kinks, mister," she says with a playful look of disgust.

"What, you gonna say no?"

"Well… you look like you could use a good ass-kicking. Let me think about it."

He laughs gruffly again, and is it weird how comfortable she feels? He doesn't seem to mind when she acts like herself.

And he really is handsome, the way bad boys are handsome-rough, headstrong, the exact polar opposite of the quiet, refined grace that Director Todo-

"Seriously cheeks, if you got hemorrhoids I'll take your ass to a CVS or something."

Ochako puffs her cheeks. Dammit, she's finally spending time with a guy who _isn't _the Director, she has to be better than this! "Let's stop talking about hemorrhoids. Don't talk about that kinda shit in front of food."

Bakugou grins. "Weirdo. What kinda office lady talks like that?"

… It'll take a lot of getting used to, but she guesses that the two of them can get along, after all.

Oh, although there is another thing to be concerned about-all the looks they're getting in the restaurant. She should have expected this since she is with Bakugou Katsuki, the infamous independent journalist who's known for exposing corruption and organized crime and living to scream about it. She's still surprised when the first set of fans come up to their table asking for an autograph, though.

"B-Bakugou Katsuki-san?" a timid college kid asks, shaking in his boots. "I don't mean to bother you, but I'm a big fan of _Ground Zero _, and that expose you did on Detnerat Corp was-"

He clicks his tongue. "Piss off, nerd. Go die."

"Bakugou-kun!"

"What?"

Ochako is about to defend the poor fan, who is shaking even more in his boots. But then the kid bows, looking happier than a lark. "Th… thank you for the words, _Bakushinchi! _Oh my god, dude, did you see that? Bakugou-fuckin'-Katsuki cussed me out like I'm trash! Did you get it on video?!"

Dumbfounded, Ochako watches as the fan gushes about the experience to his other friends. She looks at Bakugou oddly. "Okay, that was weird."

"Tch. Yeah. All fuckin' nerds is the same." He dumps his chopsticks on the table, followed by a few crisp bills from his wallet. "Let's get the fuck outta here."

Ochako doesn't argue. It's about time they left anyway-has it really been three hours since they started talking? Sero waves at them with a smile that's all too exasperated as they leave his restaurant.

They move on to a cafe that's definitely quieter and less crowded than Sero's. There are very few people giving them interested looks, but no-one looks like they're going to bother them. Ochako gets a giant strawberry parfait while Bakugou frowns at her over his espresso.

"Tch. You're gonna get diabetes," the irate blonde grumbles.

"I'll live," she says with a happy sigh. "Gosh, strawberries are the best. And look how pretty it is! You don't know…"

_With the taste of strawberries lingering in her mouth, she follows him... Flowers of all colors surround their feet, glowing ethereally under the moonlight. The city below, the stars above. It's a beautiful night._

"... what you're missing," she finishes lamely. Suddenly, the parfait doesn't taste that good anymore, and she only has Director Todoroki in her mind. As she has intermittently, for most of the night.

She sucks at dates, doesn't she.

"I'll live," he says with a scowl. "Anyways, you told me that you had something to ask me."

Oh, right. Her lackluster dating history aside, there's another important reason why she agreed to this blind date at all-the fact that Bakugou Katsuki is a brilliant investigator.

Suddenly pensive, Ochako puts her dessert spoon down and takes a deep breath for courage. "Right. Um, so I know that we just met and I shouldn't ask any big favors, but-"

Bakugou clicks his tongue so sharply he could have cut her bangs. "Just spit it out, Pink-Cheeks!"

"Okay, geez." Again, Ochako takes a deep breath. It isn't easy telling anybody this, because the hazy memories have an alarming tendency to make her hands shake. "There's an incident that I've been trying to get information on, but over the years I've come up empty. Since you're good at this stuff, I wonder if you can help me find it. Oh, but it might be impossible-"

"Unless you're makin' shit up, I'll get that, no problem. What, you think I _can't? _" With an insulted grunt, he says, "What incident are you talkin' about?"

"I'm not making it up," she says, although there's a tiny sliver of doubt at the center of her heart. Who knows how much of that did or didn't happen when her memories are so bad? "There used to be a neighborhood near MightyLand in the nineties that's demolished now. Back in 1995, a fire broke out from one of the houses there."

"... a fire, huh."

Ochako nods. "A big one, too. I… don't remember why, but I was sure it was... arson. I've looked for articles about arson or accidental fires or anything at all in that year, but apart from records of Endeavor buying out that land years later, there's nothing that comes out."

She had considered that no-one would care about fires in a neighborhood filled with poor people, but it's frustrating that there's absolutely zero evidence of it happening.

Bakugou, unexpectedly, has her rapt attention. "Endeavor bought out that land, huh."

"Yes," she answers carefully. "But years after that incident. From what I know, they eventually gave that land to the Might Group, which they used to expand the amusement park. It's all legitimate."

He rubs his stubbled chin thoughtfully. "Ya got a clue about the people in that fire?"

Ochako is hesitant to say anything about that. But she relents, "I'm sure there was… a woman there. And a boy. Probably five years old at the time. Um, I'm not sure about the others."

"Huh." The interested glint in the blonde's eyes intensifies like ember. "Were they mother and son?"

"Um." Come to think of it, even if her instincts told her they were mother and son, suddenly she's not so sure. She can't even remember what they looked like anymore. "I… don't remember-I mean, I don't know who they are, so it's hard to tell."

"So I take it you didn't check for records on kidnapping or anything like that."

"... no."

She can hear his thoughts racing a mile a minute. "Yeah, sure. I'll get you that story, Roundface. Fuckin' easy."

She exhales in relief. "Thanks so much! It's been on my mind for so long, it's driving me crazy."

It's also a relief for her that Bakugou doesn't ask her any questions as to _why _she's interested in the incident, although that's a little strange in itself. Either he's figured out things on his own, or he expects to know as the investigation goes on. But if he asked, she's going to give him an honest answer. Anything, as long as she gets some clarity after twenty-four years of wondering.

"... oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even offer you any compensation or anything."

Bakugou shrugs. "Ain't interested in your dirty corporation money. But there is somethin' you can do for me."

She should have known. The mischievous smile on his face and the menacing twitch of his hand going for her face is all bad news. "You are _not _pinching my cheeks on the first date, Bakugou Katsuki."

"No?" he snickers. "Newsflash, Angelface. I do whatever the fuck I want."

* * *

Outside that particular cafe, Hagakure Tooru, the overworked secretary of Marketing Division Chief Midoriya Izuku, is grumbling all the way home. "Tsuyu-chan, I'm so tired! How have we lasted in Marketing for this long?!"

Tsuyu makes a sound that sounds exactly like a frog's croak. It's a weird mannerism that gets her a lot of weird looks, but Tooru reckons that all brilliant people had weird mannerisms and that's probably the price to pay. Anyways, Tsuyu-chan is cute when she does it. "It's super tough, Tooru-chan, but we get by. Besides, Midoriya-chan is a good boss who always knows what to do, so that makes it a lot easier."

"Oof… he's good all right. Too good," Tooru huffs in exasperation. "I mess up at least once a day! And he's always so nice about it. Sometimes I wish he'd just tell me off, y'know? I'm starting to get embarrassed!"

Tsuyu chuckles. "Just keep doing your best, Tooru-chan."

"I aaam! But I know he'd like a secretary like Ochako-chan. Too bad that she's the demon Director's-"

Oh, speak of the devil? Or, the angel, in this case. "Isn't that Ochako-chan in that cafe over there?!"

On a table near the glass windows of a trendy cafe, Uraraka Ochako sits across a blonde guy with nice arm muscles. She seems to be smiling at him. "Oh. You're right, _ribbit. _"

"And on a date?!"

Tsuyu nods. "It's nice that she finally has some free time since she's resigning. Anyways, we should…"

_Click._

Tsuyu looks at her with wide, unbelieving eyes. "Did you just take a picture of her and her date?"

"Uh, yeah? I mean, look at how _sweet _they are! That guy's touching her face so tenderly~"

"I wouldn't call that touching," the green-haired girl comments, pointing to the picture. The blonde guy's obviously pinching her cheeks like dough. "And I think you should delete that photo. We should respect their privacy."

She chuckles as she presses send. "Too late~! I've sent it to our group chat with Ochako-chan! Aw, Tsuyu-chan, don't look so worried, I promise that this is just for the three of us!"

Tsuyu croaks. "That would be okay… except you sent it to Midoriya-chan, _ribbit _."

Tooru does a double take on her phone screen. Oh, shit! "Wait, I can delete this-" she cries, just as a little checkmark at the bottom of the photo appears with the word _read. _"Oh noooooo! Not again!"

"Ribbit," Tsuyu sighs in exasperation.

* * *

At around the same time, Shouto is drinking with Midoriya at his penthouse. They have their usual glasses of whisky between them. Sato comes by with a plate of zarusoba for him and katsudon for his green-haired friend. Shoji comes back from Dr. Koda's to tell him that Victoria is doing splendidly. It's a pleasant, stress free night and there's absolutely nothing in Shouto's mind that's bothering him.

"You're awfully relaxed," Midoriya observes with a curious smile.

He sips his whiskey with sheer ease. "I am. All our projects are going along well, and Victoria's healthy. Why wouldn't I be relaxed?"

He laughs. "Uraraka-san's blind date's going on right now, isn't it? I'd have thought you'd be, um, curious about it by now."

"Why would you assume that?"

A muscle visibly twitches under Midoriya's eye. "Well, you know, 'cause you've been so dead set on wooing her so she'd marry you? And you made me do all those crazy things to help you? Not that I'm complaining about how crazy stressful it was or anything, but…"

Shouto cuts him off with a look of nonchalance. "Even so, I'm not worried about Secretary Uraraka going out on a single date with an unremarkable person. Objectively speaking, there's no way that an ordinary person will interest her after our date."

"Well, you may be right. But she wants ordinary, so I mean, I'd be a _little _worried."

Midoriya is always expecting the worst. Shouto, however, is completely confident in this one. No ordinary man can do all the ordinary things she wants the way Shouto did them for her. "This date will end earlier than either of them planned. I'm sure of it."

"Well, okay." Midoriya's phone vibrates on the table at that exact moment. He makes a surprised sound as he sees the screen. "Oh. Secretary Hagakure sent me a picture… huh, _hottie alert, _three bomb emojis…?"

"... you allow your secretary to speak to you that way?" Shouto asks, genuinely curious.

Midoriya laughs awkwardly. "N… no, she must have sent this by accident again. I mean, it's fine, one time she sent me a video of Kirishima-kun doing push-ups at the helipad at Endeavor Tower… oh wait, I shouldn't have told you that-"

Shouto shows him a face that just does not care, and Midoriya's relieved for that. "Anyway, just gimme a sec to delete this… wait. This is Uraraka-san and-"

Shouto watches all the blood drain from Midoriya's face, which happens in an impressive span of 0.75 milliseconds. "Is this… _Kacchan?! _"

Shouto takes the phone from Midoriya's grasp before either of them realize it. On the screen, Secretary Uraraka sits at a nondescript cafe. She's wearing the same outfit she wore in his office hours ago, with the moonstone gleaming blue over her pale collarbone.

Across from her, an ordinary blonde man-no, an ordinary blonde _punk _-is reaching over and pinching her cheeks. The guy is smiling. Uraraka's got an uncomfortable grimace that can easily be mistaken as a smile.

What the hell is this.

"T… Todoroki-kun, my phone, you're destroying my phone-" Midoriya pleads from somewhere next to him.

How dare this… whatever the hell this guy is. Pinching his secretary's cheeks familiarly and making her uncomfortable. Unforgivable. "What the _hell _is a Kacchan?"

Midoriya yelps as the world rumbles around him. "Th-that's a guy I knew from childhood! Kacchan-I mean, Bakugou-kun… he's that reporter who does those exposes! Remember, he did that one about Detnerat a couple years back?"

Ah, that one. He and his team exposed that the company used their technology to spy on their consumers for all sorts of delicate data. They were involved in a lot of unsavory things-organized crime, graft, bribery, cults. It was big news that led to their downfall and indirectly helped Endeavor Inc. prosper. Shouto thought it was impressive before, but now...

"That is _not _an ordinary man. Why would Uraraka be with him?"

Now, he feels threatened. Another person is out to get _someone that belongs to him _. And for once, he isn't sure about the outcome.

"I… I don't know," Midoriya yelps. "Wh… where are you going, Todoroki-kun?"

Before he realizes it, the quiet Shouji and the alarmed Midoriya are chasing him as he's on the way out of the door. He clicks his tongue and rushes out of the penthouse in irritated silence.

* * *

Ochako massages her cheeks in irritation. "You really went overboard there, Bakugou-kun," she grumbles.

He sneers at her. "Your fuckin' fault for having marshmallow cheeks."

Bakugou doesn't have a car, just a motorbike. He offered to take Ochako home on it, but it's too scary. If she got in an accident, she wouldn't be able to participate in Company Day, and Director Todoroki wouldn't be happy about his office starting the games with a big disadvantage.

They're waiting for the Uber to come pick her up. Bakugou clicks his tongue in distaste. "Tch. That icyhot bastard. Shitty Hair and Raccoon Eyes told me all about how he got you dangling on a string."

She laughs lightly. "No, he's not as bad as it sounds."

He scowls. "Yeah he is. I get it if you're just a chickenshit who's scared to die on a motorbike, but you don't wanna ride with me 'cause you're afraid of disappointing that half-and-half for fuckin' Company Day. Your shitty boss has got you fuckin' _whipped _."

That almost sounds like a valid point. Puffing her cheeks in annoyance, she mumbles, "I'm also scared that you'll kill us both. Don't get me wrong."

"Whatever." Bakugou mindlessly fishes out a cigarette from his pocket. "That Uber's taking his time. I'm gonna give that bastard a piece of-"

When the lighter comes out of his pocket, Ochako's heart stops. She watches, frozen, as his thumb grazes the wheel of the lighter, threatening to form sparks. The fire's already starting in her head even before it does in reality. She wants to stop him, but all she can manage is a squeak.

He hears her frightened noise and looks at her with alarmed red eyes. "Shit, I forgot." He raises both his hands in the air. "I'm not lighting anything up, okay, calm your-"

It happens very fast: one moment Bakugou is talking, the next a hand decorated with bandaids appears out of nowhere and shoves him right in the face. He manages a swear word in before he attacks the person by pulling on his tie and swinging a fist.

The fist misses-barely. The other person steps backward, fist drawn back and mismatched eyes absolutely livid. Ochako finally processes what's going on.

"Director Todoroki?!"

True enough, Todoroki Shouto is there on the sidewalk, eyes glowing and aura so threatening she swears she sees a mountain of ice looming behind him. He's got a hand on Bakugou's collar, while Bakugou has one hand on his. They both burn with obvious murderous intent.

"Half-and-half bastard!" Bakugou grits out, struggling against his grasp. "The fuck was that for?! You wanna die?!"

With a cold, cold voice, Todoroki answers, "You were about to send my secretary into a panic attack. I merely did what I had to do."

She knew about the Director's temper intimately. He's calm like a bomb hiding in the lull of the ocean-cold, controlled, and terrifying in that way. But this… this is different. It only lasted for a few seconds when his hand landed over Bakugou, but Ochako saw it: unfiltered, uncontrollable _rage. _

For a moment, Ochako thought she was looking at Todoroki Enji.

Her instincts scream at her to stop him before it's too late. "Director, I'm fine! Please don't hurt him!"

"Tch, who's hurting who? I'll kick his ass!"

Thankfully, despite Bakugou's rant, the Director listens to her and lets Bakugou go. The frightening chill in his eyes gradually ebbs, slowly, slowly. It takes a few moments before it's completely gone, leaving a mildly confused look in his eyes that tells her he isn't sure how he got there either.

"Secretary Uraraka-"

"-Kacchan! Todoroki-kun! Stop!"

Chief Midoriya comes running out from a car somewhere, followed by an alarmed Shouji. Ochako is left wondering what a Kacchan is, until she sees how the blonde's face sours instantly.

"Shit, here we go," Bakugou mutters, rubbing his face violently with one hand.

"Ohmygod I was so worried that both of you were hurt I didn't know what was going on Kacchan I swear but we found out you were with Uraraka-san by accident and Todoroki-kun got worried and I swear I tried to stop him but-"

Ochako can hardly process a single word Chief Midoriya is saying. The other men are also starting to appear pretty overwhelmed about the word vomit accompanied by an onslaught of tears. Bakugou, in particular, is beginning to tick like a dynamite about to blow.

"-and if you were going to fight in the street Shouji-kun and I were ready to punch you guys just so you calm down but I'm glad you didn't and-"

"Shut the fuck up, shitty Deku!"

This time, Bakugou launches himself toward the murmuring Chief, who gasps and flinches away. Luckily, the stoic Shouji successfully separates the two of them. Amidst the curses of the angry blonde, he turns questioningly to Director Todoroki. "Sir."

The Director merely shakes his head. "We're done. Secretary Uraraka, you're coming with me."

Before she can stop him, the Director's grip is already on her wrist and she's being dragged to his car. "Wait, Director-"

"Oi, asshole." Bakugou's stare is dark and unforgiving when he regards Todoroki again. "You think you can just walk away from me after trying to beat the shit outta me? I can charge you for assault, y'know."

Director Todoroki gives him a look that's just as dark. "Are you threatening me? Is this the part where you're going to blackmail me for money?"

"Don't insult me," he growls. "Fuckin' rich boy, you think throwing your dirty money around makes your problems go away? You think people can be bought and treated like property?"

He's staring at the point where Todoroki's got a hold on Ochako's wrist. The Director notices and pulls Ochako even closer to him, far from Bakugou's reach.

Midoriya turns to Bakugou. "Kacchan… please. Director Todoroki isn't going to do it again," he whispers fearfully.

Bakugou rubs his face with his hand. "Shut up, Deku. I'm not gonna ruin your shitty boss. But remember that I can if I want to." He doesn't hide the look of disgust in his eyes seeing Ochako behind the Director, but he still calls out to her as if he wasn't there: "Uraraka, I'll call you. I'm outta here."

"A… all right, Bakugou-kun. Thank you," she manages to say as he leaves, even when her wrist starts to feel like it's freezing.

There's a look in Bakugou's eyes that tells her that he plans to come back for her soon. For her not to worry, he'll get her out of there too, because suddenly he needs to do it for her. It doesn't last long, though, as he shoves his helmet on and rides off on his motorcycle, not looking back once.

Todoroki Shouto's grip on her suddenly feels like a ball and chain. As they walk to his car, he doesn't let her go.

* * *

_AN: Bakugou's here aaaah. Since Kacchako is my first big ship (and the ship that got me writing for BNHA in the first place), I really pressured myself to do well in this chapter. Gad it's so easy to make them have chemistry together, I think I'm gonna have a hard time with this second lead lol. Shouto, work harder!_

_So for those of you who watched the show, it's obvious that this is the first major difference in the original story-that the blind date isn't just gonna be a one time thing to make the main lead look better than he is ^_^'. I think they could have done more with that reporter dude, so here I am trying to get all that potential storytelling out there!_

_As always, thank you for all the comments and kudos, I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter! See you next week!_


	7. I'll Take Care Of You

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 7 - I'll Take Care Of You**

* * *

Shouto messed things up pretty badly, didn't he.

It's terribly quiet inside the car. Shoji drives them while avoiding everyone's eyes. Midoriya's in the passenger seat and overwhelmingly teary eyed from his unexpected reunion with that guy. These phenomena are not new and not alarming; Shoji is always quiet and Midoriya always cries. That's just the natural order of things.

But as for Uraraka...

His secretary eventually pulls her wrist from his hand and sits all the way on the other side of the back seat far away from him. Head pressed against the window, eyes resolutely fixed on the passing city lights. She has not spoken a word since she asked Shoji to take her home and has not looked at anyone in the eye. Not even Midoriya, whom she usually got along with.

This is unnerving. Secretary Uraraka has never expressed her displeasure like this before. It was hard to understand why she was so irritated-as far as he knew, her blind date with Bakugou Katsuki was already over by the time Shouto intervened. He couldn't have ruined it if it was already done. It shouldn't matter if he almost incapacitated that man in front of everyone else and literally snatched her away from him.

… All right, that may be a valid reason why she's displeased.

But, he did it for her. He knows that she's afraid of fire. He had seen her reduced to a trembling leaf with just a flick of a lighter. She would have been worse if he let Bakugou light his cigarette.

He isn't even sure how he went overboard. All he remembers is seeing red. He's already strangling Bakugou and looking at a terrified Uraraka in the eyes before he realizes it. He doesn't know how the feelings of irritation got out of control.

He doesn't know what to say to Uraraka to make her understand.

_Just say sorry, _Midoriya whispered to him when they went in the car. But how does one say sorry? He wouldn't know how to say something he never needed to say before.

"Secretary Uraraka."

"Director."

The air between them is roughly a few degrees lower than Antarctica in winter. Her face is still to the window.

He inhales quietly. "You must be wondering how I found you."

"Not really," she says airily. "Tsuyu-chan sent me a text about how the photo of me and Bakugou-kun got to Chief Midoriya. It bothered me a lot, because it was my _privacy _being messed with, but I'm okay now because they _explained things _to me and _apologized. _"

Hearing her call that guy _Bakugou-kun _makes him want to break more teacups _. _He's tempted to ask her politely to refrain from being overly familiar with that punk, but he stops himself. As much as he dislikes this, he is in a test of patience that he absolutely cannot fail.

"I see. That sounds… simple."

"Mhm."

He sees Midoriya cringing from the rearview mirror.

"I have things to say in that regard, as well."

"I'm listening."

Shouto clears his throat. _Just say sorry, _he repeats in his head. Unfortunately, his mouth stubbornly says something else. "I was merely trying to protect you. Bakugou was about to brandish fire in front of you. I knew enough not to let that happen."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "You know, Bakugou-kun knows about my situation too. He just forgot for a second, but he-"

"Are you sure you want to spend your time with someone who just 'forgets' important things about you, Secretary Uraraka?"

"Sure beats being with… working for someone so _possessive _of his secretary that he'd commit assault! Against a _reporter _! In _public! _"

Shouto clamps his mouth shut and takes another steadying breath. "Is this coming from what he said about me treating people like property? You know he said it out of spite."

"Director… it was never about what anybody said about you," she replies quietly.

Shouto stares at the back of her head. "... I did it to protect you," he repeats, because he has nothing else to say.

She's his employee. His, and no-one else's. No-one is allowed to hurt her.

_No-one else is allowed to have her, _he thinks before he can stop himself.

No… no, that's not it. He does want to marry Uraraka, wants to keep her in his employ for as long as possible, but he isn't what Bakugou thinks he is. He's not some selfish rich boy who treats people like property. He isn't possessive. He's just… just…

His secretary sighs-a prolonged sound that sags her shoulders and lowers her head enough to tap it lightly against the window with a sound. "... maybe you did," she relents, after a beat of silence, "but you don't know what that means, do you?"

_What am I doing?_

He sighs. "I may have approached things wrongly. But I did those things because I feel responsible for what happens to you. I always have."

A silence passes, tense and anxious. It makes him wonder whether Secretary Uraraka can spend the rest of her short time with him never looking and never speaking to him again. He needs to fix this as quickly as possible.

"It doesn't matter that you won't be my secretary for much longer. Let me feel this way for you while you're still here with me."

He sees her fingers twitch, sees her bite her lip by the reflection on the glass. He can hear the sound of her confusion. Logically, she would be confused, who wouldn't? Since when has Shouto admitted to feeling things? Even if it's a sense of responsibility (at least that's the most logical name he can place to it), he has never used this sort of language with anyone before.

Well, he has experienced a lot of firsts with Uraraka lately. Maybe he should get used to this.

Finally she turns away from the window, and then slowly, slowly turns to face him. "Director, that wasn't just the wrong approach. I mean, the breach of my privacy aside, he could have filed a case against you! Or worse, punched you in the face! I mean besides the PR nightmare that's gonna happen, how can you open company day tomorrow if you have a black eye?"

Shouto blinks. Wasn't she complaining about him being possessive of her? Why is she suddenly talking about company day?

She lowers her voice and her eyes. "And it's not a bluff, okay… He can do that for real. People have filmed him punching rich people in the face. It's why he has a lot of fans…"

Never mind the fact that Bakugou was a bigger punk than he thought. Shouto wants to tell her that he can take care of himself and her if the need arises-his fighting techniques might not be up to par with Bakugou's apparent face-punching skills, but objectively speaking he's just as strong as he is. He gets the feeling that that isn't want Uraraka wants to hear, though.

"That said, I appreciate you telling me that you feel responsible for me," his secretary relents with another thoughtful look. "I… I feel the same too. I mean, feeling responsible for you. I've felt that way for the past nine years, and it doesn't matter that I'm quitting, I still feel like I gotta take care of you. That's why I'm really upset about what you did. I hope you understand."

"... is that so."

She nods. The pink in her cheeks is back, warming the frigid air between them pleasantly. "Y… yeah. I mean, that's what secretaries are for."

She smiles at him, and he wonders why it felt so long since he's seen that. "You're right. Then, please continue taking care of me, Secretary Uraraka."

"I will. And please continue taking care of me, Director Todoroki."

In the mirror, Midoriya has the teary look he gets when he gets to the climax of a particularly cheesy movie scene.

Finally, she settles more comfortably in her seat. She can now look him in the eye and instantly the air becomes lighter around them. "Anyways, you want me to do well for company day tomorrow, right?"

He exhales quietly, keeping the sense of relief for himself. "Of course. You aren't allowed to lose."

* * *

The next day is the long awaited Company Day-a whole day for employees to build synergy and morale through games and competition. While it's made for everyone to relax and have fun, Company Day in Endeavor Inc is notoriously _not _relaxing because of the incredible competition in between the offices.

The pressure is always a little extra for the Office of the Executive Director-every year they're neck-in-neck against the Marketing guys and the scary loud guys from the Chairman's Office, and Director Todoroki especially does _not _like losing against Chief Midoriya and his father.

Camie must have been briefed by everyone else, because she's already doing extreme stretches in the office when Ochako walks in. "Mornin' Ocha-babes. Rough night?"

Ochako laughs. "No, not really! Why'd you ask?"

While in a sideplank, Camie points to the space under her eyes. "Eyebags, babes. That can either mean a _really good date _, if you know what I mean," she says with a suggestive wink, "Or a really bad one. So? Did you get lucky?"

Camie just gets right down to it, doesn't she? Ochako harrumphs with a puff of her cheeks. "No. It wasn't a bad date, but I went home early and alone, thank you very much."

The taller girl chuckles. "Bo-o-o-ring. But I figured, 'cause you're still wearing ~the necklace~. I guess that means Directoroki's still the number one man in your life, huh?"

"**_Why would you mention him. He has nothing to do with this. Nothing at all._**"

"OMG Ocha-babes, your vibes are so deadly~ Chill, okay? I was just kidding," Camie says, unapologetic even as Ochako's dangerous black aura grows around her. "I just meant that work is still your number one priority, so he doesn't have to worry about you splitting your time with him and an S.O., see-what-I'm-sayin'?"

Ochako puffs her cheeks. "Camie, I'm quitting remember? He doesn't have to worry about _me _not having time for him, but-"

_It doesn't matter that you won't be my secretary for much longer. Let me feel this way for you while you're still here with me. _

Stupid Director! He is unfair, isn't he? Instead of thinking about Bakugou and how great they got along, all she can think of all night was _him _. And it's not for a lack of trying in her part-she really did try to think of Bakugou and how awful his mouth his, how he made her laugh, how he had the audacity to pinch her cheeks, but then Director Todoroki's imposing figure effortlessly takes up all of her attention again. He's good at making things more confusing for her, doesn't he?

She was absolutely furious at him for ruining her date-(even though she spent a lot of time trying to get him out of her head)-and she struggled to stay angry at him all the way home even though it was hard when he started talking about _feelings _. Apart from the concerning fact the apocalypse is nigh, it's easy to get carried away when Todoroki Shouto starts using soft words in a soft voice. She even told him that she _felt the same way, _ugh. It's good that he's so dense that there's no way he'd misinterpret anything, but really Ochako, don't say misleading things!

Besides, even though he said those things… she shouldn't let him act like a kid who's throwing a tantrum over losing his toy to someone else. She shouldn't let him keep on treating her like she's _his._

(Even though her heart skips a beat at that aberrant thought.)

"Gurl, I get it, okay? Can you not punch yourself?" Camie says in mild alarm as her fist hits her face. "I'm serious, we gotta bring our A-game today! At least, that's what Tenya told the rest of the office this morning, yo~"

"That's right, Secretary Uraraka. What are you doing, giving yourself a handicap before the games even begin?"

Ochako freezes mid-punch to face the reason why she's even punching herself in the face to begin with.

Director Todoroki Shouto observes them with his usual aloof stare when both secretaries compose themselves and bow. Because he expected them to prepare for Company Day, he didn't require her to assist him in his morning rituals, and nothing stopped him from materializing out of nowhere to give her grief. Ochako's getting winded from constantly being caught off-guard.

"I gave you extra time so you can warm up and focus on winning," he tells her sternly. "Am I wrong in expecting a victory, Secretary Uraraka?"

It's impressive that he can consistently act like this in the morning like nothing happened the night before. Not that she should mind. She supposes it's better that nobody else in the workplace finds out about the two of them and the constant way he makes her head spin.

Shoving off all urges to punch herself in the face again, Ochako smiles coolly. "Not at all, Director. Please expect the office to bring home the trophy this year."

Not minding Camie's impressed whistle, Todoroki smirks. "Good. Bring it home then."

He expects nothing less as usual. That's the way it's been for the past nine years, and just the way Ochako likes it. Nobody better underestimate her.

* * *

Shouto doesn't enjoy talking on stage very much. He generally hates attention, hates having to pretend to be personable, hates to be seen for far longer than necessary. It's why he resents the old man for giving him lots of reasons to be seen in public-giving him exactly half of his features so he looks different, forcing him to show off in socialite galas, dragging him to stupid public events...

… and also for bailing on company events like this frequently, leaving Shouto no choice but to drag himself on stage on his behalf. Stupid old man.

Uraraka wrote a few polite words for him to say, something to boost morale and to encourage friendly competition, etc etc. She also reminded him to appear pleasant to put everyone at ease, so near the end, he makes an extra effort to smile. "I expect nothing less from any of you. Give it your all," he says, to close his speech.

For some reason, everyone starts to shiver as if they're in the middle of a blizzard. After a hushed whisper that sounded suspiciously like _the Demon King is here!, _everyone salutes and cries out in unison, "Yes Director! Plus Ultra!"

Ignoring the fact that they sounded less like a group about to play games and more like the military going to war, Shouto thinks that he's got everyone fired up just fine.

Midoriya greets him at the judges' table as soon as his opening speech is done. "That was better than last year, Director! No-one cried this time!"

"Good to know that everyone's improving," Shouto answers as he takes a seat. "You're not playing this year."

He shakes his head. "I'm Division Chief this year, so no. Besides, the other offices were telling me to give everyone else a chance for a change… I mean, I-I guess I went overboard last year during dodgeball, but I didn't think it was that bad…"

Midoriya is deceptively strong and ridiculously competitive for someone so mild-mannered. Last year, he got so carried away during dodgeball that he sent an entire team to the infirmary from hurling the ball really hard while screaming "SMASH!" with all his might. After the game he felt so ashamed of what he did that he started crying and accidentally made everyone feel guilty about how weak they were. The injured team had to take turns comforting him all the way to the infirmary. It was a pretty big spectacle.

So, maybe it's good that he has to sit this year out. Apart from saving Midoriya from the impending emotional turmoil, it'll give his office a big advantage.

Midoriya laughs. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that your office will get the most points this year! I mean, Iida-kun, Kirishima-kun and Ashido-san are wicked strong, while Monoma-kun is good at strategy! And Uraraka-san, well, she's just going to win for you, no matter what."

He doesn't need to say anything more. From his vantage point, Shouto watches Uraraka with her game face on doing warm up exercises-stretching her toned arms and legs up high, down low, bending over, twisting her torso this way and that. She's smaller than the rest of his team, but he knows how strong she is. He's watched her fly across a number of obstacle courses over the years, and he knows she's doing it to win.

Yes… this year will be no different. Uraraka's going to win for him.

"Hey, Shouto. What's with that intense stare? You trynna kill someone this early? The games haven't even started yet," someone asks, pulling the other chair next to him.

Midoriya's face brightens in greeting. "Takami-san! Good morning!"

Takami Keigo, 35 years old, serves as the Chief of the Secretarial Office of Endeavor Inc. He is technically the secretary/personal assistant of Chairman Todoroki, but everyone knows that he's more than that-most, if not all of the important decisions that the company makes goes through him. He has more power than most of the heads of the company combined, Shouto included.

He's also lackadaisical to a fault. Shouto wonders how this man gets anything done with his lazy attitude, which makes all his feats that much impressive.

"Please! Takami-san is my father. Call me Hawks!" he tells Midoriya with a careless wave of one hand. "Not you, Shouto. You can call me Keigo-_ nii _if you want. Or Kei-chan! Come on, call me Kei-chan~"

"Takami-san," Shouto replies flatly.

"Geez, as stiff as ever," the man called Hawks says with a laugh. "So, why the face? Did you get in a fight with Uraraka or something?"

At the periphery of his vision, he senses Midoriya giving the blonde man a number of complex hand signals including a line across the lips. Shouto ignores this and tells him, "Not at all. She and I are as cordial as ever."

Takami cradles his chin against his hand in interest. "That's great! And here I was worried that you aren't getting along after what happened at lunch with the Chairman last week."

"... why would you know that? Weren't you late then?" Shouto asks with a frown.

"_ Super _late. But Fuu-chan told me everything that happened~ including the part where you and the Chairman needed synchronized Heimlichs~ well, I can't blame the two of you for being so upset. If Uraraka stays a few more years, I'm sure your dad'll pick her as Chief Secretary instead of me!"

Shouto does not like a single word in anything Takami said. Picking the worst of them is definitely a challenge. "Please don't call my sister that," is what he decides on ultimately.

"Oh Shouto. Why can't you accept my brotherly love," Takami sighs playfully. "Seriously, though, how does it feel losing your secretary of nine years? And the very first employee you personally scouted, at that~"

Midoriya blinks. "Oh, I didn't know that! I thought Uraraka-san just applied like everyone else!"

"Nope! Shouto met Uraraka when he was a manager at the Chairman's office and she was a temp at General Affairs. Neither of them were worth anything to the company at the time, but that didn't stop Shouto from coming to me to give Uraraka a recommendation for a full-time job as his secretary! Uraraka went for it, Shouto hired her, and the rest was history~"

"Gosh, just like that? That's amazing! And she ended up staying with you for the next nine years! How did you know that you guys are going to work well together, Director?"

Shouto gives them both a passive look. His reasons for choosing her are his reasons. He definitely isn't going to explain himself to anyone, not even Midoriya. And especially not Takami Keigo.

When he remains in stoic silence, Takami fills the void with an amused hum. "I bet Shouto's having a hard time putting it into words, so let me do it for him~"

He does not like that tone of voice, nor does he like the way he goads Midoriya to come closer, effectively barricading him on both sides. With a conspiratorial whisper, Takami says, "So, Deku-kun, you know about love at first sight from experience, right?"

"L-love at first sight?!" Midoriya whisper-screams. Shouto can practically _feel _how indiscriminately hot the surface of the guy's cheeks become.

"Yep. Love at first sight. So do you know or do you not know?"

"U-um… s-sure, I know about love at first sight, Hawks, but-"

"Aw, really Deku-kun? You're such a romantic guy. You're definitely the relationship expert in this table." Takami continues without missing a beat, uncaring of how he successfully turned Midoriya into a stammering cherry tomato. "So, the concept is the same with Shouto-kun and Uraraka-chan, right? Except, instead of thinking _this is the girl I have to keep at my side at all times as my wife, _what he thinks when he first sees her round, cherub face is, _this is the girl I have to keep at my side at all times… as my secretary." _

Shouto suddenly has to fight to keep his face impassive. Midoriya chokes somewhere behind him. Takami's lazy smile does not waver, but there is a new interested glint in his eye. Not that it stops him from talking, anyway.

"... But, Keigo-nii-chan, what's the logic behind that kind of thinking?" Takami makes a show of shrugging. "Exactly like love at first sight: zero. There's no rhyme or reason to it. Just pure instinct that they can survive _anything _together, even disasters of a grand scale. Really fascinating, since it's the Chairman's most logical son we're talking about here. Well am I right or am I right, Shouto?"

"No."

The interested glimmer in his eyes gives away what lies beneath his careless facade. Takami always looks like he knows something you don't. It's something that never put Shouto at ease. "Ouch! Well... maybe I'm wrong about the _first sight _part?"

Shouto stares at him dead in the eye. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Takami laughs. "Can't blame ya. Even _I _don't know what I'm talking about! Sometimes I just like talking because you're so quiet, you know? But if you tell me, _Keigo-nii, you talk too much shut yer trap already, _I'll happily keep my mouth zipped for the next century~"

As much as he would find the silence appealing, Shouto knows that Takami's constant blabbermouth earns him a great share of the old man's ire, so he can keep talking for all he cares.

Besides, he will never call him Keigo-_ nii _, not even if someone points a knife at his throat.

Thankfully, someone announces the beginning of the games and Takami suddenly loses interest in what they're talking about. Midoriya looks at Shouto with a lot of unspoken questions in his gaze too, but he understands quickly that being ignored really won't get him any answers and turns his attention to the games instead.

It's about time he pays attention to his team, too. Ignoring the cheers next to him, Shouto keeps his eye on the determined Secretary Uraraka.

* * *

So far they're doing great in the games. Even though the competition was tough, everyone from the Office of the Executive Director makes it through the obstacle course. They cut it really close in the Cavalry Battle, but that was only because Monoma baited everyone else and the other offices targeted his headband specifically. Luckily, Iida, Kirishima, and Mina had no qualms about bulldozing anyone who got in their way, while Camie and Ochako had good eyes on the rest of the field.

In the end they get through the elimination round. It's break time and they're all frowning over the scoreboard, Monoma especially. "Tsk. We're tied with the marketing guys and the Office of the Chairman is in the lead. You guys have to pick up the slack in the next games!"

"Us guys?!" Mina's face screws up in annoyance. "If you weren't such a trash-talking rat, we wouldn't have been bullied in the Cavalry Battle in the first place! You're lucky Iida, Kiri and I are big and hunky enough to stop them from beating your deserving ass!"

"Indeed, Monoma-kun! I would advise you to practice discretion in the next games! And for heavens' sake, hydrate properly!" Iida reprimands as he sternly hands an electrolyte drink to the snarky blonde man.

"Ehh~ but it's not Evian. This is icky sugary poison," Monoma says with a sniff. "Uraraka, don't you have the nice ones you give to the director?"

Ochako snorts. "They're for him, not you. Do you want him to glare at you even more than he's doing now?"

True enough, the Director looks downright _displeased. _It probably doesn't help that Chief Midoriya is happily cheering Tsuyu and Tooru on, while Chief Secretary Takami is looking awfully smug about the scores.

A cold, cold chill comes over the team. "Shit, _we have to win _," Monoma mutters darkly, while the rest of the team nods in agreement.

Ever oblivious to any sense of foreboding, Kirishima laughs. "Nah, you guys, it's totally fine! As long as we're having fun, we'll be okay! We can take it easy in the next one~"

"Kiri, get a clue! Do you even want to live after today?! And what are you talking about taking it easy in the next game?! This is the most important one!"

Camie tilts her head in curiosity. "Y'all mean the three-legged race, right?"

"Indeed it is the most important game for today!" Iida bellows, excited as always to elaborate. "Because of the rule that it must be a male and female pair who runs as a single unit, and due to the imbalance of the sexes in the offices, this is the one game that encourages camaraderie between and among the offices! It promotes unity! Synergy! Good cardiovascular health! And-"

"Blablabla who cares about that!" Mina interrupts, making Iida's square jaw drop uselessly. "I mean he's right about all that, but most importantly the three-legged race promotes ~love~, you know?"

"Love? For real?"

Ochako keeps herself from giggling as Mina and Camie begin to huddle withher, ignoring all the clueless/annoyed guys in the group. "Yeah, Camie-chan, _~love~! _They say that when you win the three-legged race, you guys are gonna end up dating each other one way or another! It's the rules! I mean that's how Kiri and I started dating 3 years ago~"

Kirishima blinks. "Uh… we were already going out before we won the race, so-"

The girls ignore him completely. "Oh sis I am so _in. _Ain't that hot on winning before, but now I am in it to win it. Feel me, sis?" Camie eyes the oblivious Iida, who's still fuming over being ignored.

"I feel ya sis," Mina replies sagely. "Just make sure that he doesn't rip your leg off when you guys run, 'kay?"

"I 'unno, I'm kinda into a lil push, a lil pull, a lil rip and tear, see-what-I'm-sayin'?"

Ochako giggles. "Camie, you're so _bad! _But I'm wishing you and Iida-kun the best of luck!"

As the girls wiggle their eyebrows suggestively to each other, Monoma scoffs irately. "This race is heteronormative BS. I'm gonna sit this one out in protest."

Mina scoffs right back at him. "You're just jealous 'cause you can't be partnered with your crush… hey, Camie-chan, Ochako-chan, wanna take a wild guess who Monoma has got his sights on this year? I'll give you a clue-tall, droopy eyes, sleep-deprived-"

Out of nowhere, Monoma hisses like an anaconda and clamps Mina's mouth shut with his hand. Just as Ochako begins to wonder what warranted the deadly glare the blonde gives to the pink girl, she feels someone tapping her on her shoulder.

Turning around, Ochako makes eye contact with a certain tall, droopy-eyed, sleep-deprived person. "Uh. You're Secretary Uraraka, right?" he asks.

"Oh. That's why," she mutters under her breath, earning a confused look from the man and a scathing one from Monoma. "Yup, that's me! And you must be Shinsou-kun."

Shinsou Hitoshi, 29 years old, one of the more capable managers of the General Affairs Division. Well-known for his work ethic, and even more well-known for his good looks, gentlemanliness, and his deep, sexy voice. Being that he focuses on work and nothing else, he's famously single, and a popular target of many a single employee.

(All this Ochako learned from hearing Mina and Monoma gossip about boys every single time they take a coffee break together.)

"Yep. That's me," Shinsou replies, shyly rubbing the back of his neck. "So, we're partnered up for the race. Was wondering if you wanna warm up with me or something."

There are suffocating auras coming all around her-something dark from Monoma, something devilish from Mina and Camie, and something else that feels absolutely _fatal _coming from a distance that she couldn't quite pick up. Because of that, Ochako gladly takes him up on his offer. "Where do you want to go?"

As Shinsou leads them away to a different place, she manages to catch Monoma's threatening whisper, "_ don't you dare win this one, Uraraka. _"

While she and Shinsou strategize, all she can think of is _man _they weren't kidding about anything they said about him. Shinsou may look like he's about to pay off a month's worth of sleep debt the next second, but he's seriously determined to win all the games. Even with the heavy eyebags and the serious facade, it's easy to see how handsome he is, and how uniquely intelligent his purple eyes are. He's probably past 6 feet tall if you count the wild purple hair. And he's a nice guy too-the entire time he's concerned about how he might give her a hard time during the race because of their ridiculous height difference.

"I'm gonna run as carefully as I can," he tells her as he ties their legs together. "Let me know if it gets tough, though. I'll adjust to you."

And his voice is ridiculously _deep. _No wonder Monoma's got it bad for this guy. Even she feels some type of way talking to him up close. "Um, sure, Shinsou-kun. Don't worry, I can keep up!"

As they gather at the starting point, Ochako notices Camie, paired up with Iida, winking at her suggestively. Meanwhile Monoma, who's tied up next to a reluctant-looking Tooru, looks absolutely murderous.

Well sorry Monoma-kun, she's still going to try her best. The Director isn't expecting any less of her. She braces herself as the starting gun is about to fire.

_Go!_

She and Shinsou get a rough start at first but he was true to his word about adjusting to her, and she did everything she could to keep up with him. When people started falling on their faces during the race (the first of them being Monoma and Tooru, who go down with the most violent noise), the path in front of them started clearing up.

Soon, she and Shinsou are in the lead, tied neatly against Iida and Camie. Iida is aggressively screaming "Left! Right! Left! Right!" as they are running and it's very distracting. When she stumbles a little, Shinsou holds her up against him easily.

"Uraraka, hold on to me!" he barks as he puts an arm around her.

"Okay!" She clamps her hand around Shinsou's waist without thinking about it. If she hesitated, she and Shinsou would fall flat on their faces before they reach the finish line. And they're so close, too! The Director's counting on her to win!

She doesn't know how it happens exactly. One moment she and Shinsou are in second place, next Iida is screaming "Left! Utsushimi-kun, THE OTHER LEFT!" and then he and Camie are rolling off the course. Nobody is there to stop them from crossing the finish line, and as soon as they do people are cheering for them.

Takami Keigo floats to them as soon as Shinsou unbinds their legs. "Great job you two! You outran everyone, even Burnin'-chan from the Chairman's Team! What a show! Ladies and gents, give it up for Secretary Uraraka from the Office of the Executive Director and Manager Shinsou from General Affairs! Don't they make a cute couple?"

"Shinsouraka! Shinsouraka!" The crowd starts clapping and chanting. Great, a few seconds after winning and they already have a ship name? She forgot just how the Endeavor staff really liked this sort of thing, and she underestimated how good Secretary Takami is in riling them up.

"And since they're so cute together, what do we say to this power couple, huh? C'mon, shout it out so they hear!"

"DATE HER! DATE HER!"

She sees Shinsou turn a shade of pink next to her as he struggles to keep himself from grimacing. She guesses he isn't too good with crowds. Can't blame him, seeing as a big chunk of the girls and guys in the crowd are watching his every move, anticipating him to turn to Ochako and _really _ask her out on a date.

While she had seen this happen before with other couples (Kirishima and Mina-chan come to mind), she hopes that Shinsou has enough common sense _not _to give in to social pressure. If he had asked her out, deep and sexy voice aside, she wouldn't know what to say. Saying yes, no, or nothing in front of the expectant crowd would end up with the same result of utter chaos.

"Er, so..." The moment he speaks, everyone suddenly waits with baited breath, and all Shinsou can do is mumble, "Nice race, Uraraka. Hope to see you at work soon. I'm planning to ask Director Todoroki to transfer in-"

Hawks suddenly pops up in between them, one hand cupping his ear. "_ Ehh? _What was that, Shinsou-kun? You wanna start _seeing _Uraraka-chan? And you're gonna ask for Director Todoroki's permission?! Did I hear you correctly?!"

"Uh, no-" Shinsou begins, but he's immediately overwhelmed by a mixture of excited and anguished screams from the audience, which looks like it's on the verge of a riot. Meanwhile, the stunned Ochako realizes that she might have severely underestimated Shinsou-kun's popularity. She's definitely going to have to watch out for more than Monoma's wrath in her remaining weeks in the Director's office...

_CLUNK._

An eerie silence fills the auditorium, followed by the just-as-eerie feeling of being engulfed in the icy waters of the Arctic. All eyes dart around to look for the source of the sound. When Ochako hears Chief Midoriya's concerned cry, she feels a cold dread in the pit of her stomach.

She doesn't know how something like this could have happened, but looking up at the judges' table, she sees Director Todoroki flat on the floor, rubbing a sore spot on his forehead. Mildly disoriented, he brings his hand from his forehead, and stares at-

"Blood?!"

* * *

How does this keep happening to Todoroki-kun?!

Izuku knows that despite his fast reflexes, Todoroki has a tendency to be dangerously clumsy. But they were _sitting down _for Pete's sake! Then again, anytime Uraraka-san is involved it was only a matter of time before Todoroki-kun tripped over himself. Why did it have to be so literal though!

In hindsight, making the Director watch Shinsou and Uraraka interact isn't where things went wrong. Nope, Izuku's sure that it's when Takami-san stopped watching the race and started watching Todoroki's face instead.

"Interesting," is all the blonde man says before going up the stage and goading the crowd into yelling the date thing. Izuku almost had a heart attack watching things escalate, even more so when Todoroki remained disconcertingly quiet like a bomb.

"Director," Izuku says in the most soothing voice he can muster at that precarious moment, "Takami-san-I mean Hawks is just kidding, you know? He isn't really trying to set-up Uraraka-san with Shinsou-kun-"

"I don't care."

"Y… you don't?"

He huffs. Izuku hopes he's just imagining the frost on his breath. "I'm… not possessive. Uraraka may associate with whomever she likes. This farce does not bother me at all."

_Todoroki-kun it's bothering you a LOT why must you lie to yourself, _Izuku thinks stressfully. At least it's clear that what Kacchan told him last night really got to him. He didn't think that Todoroki would ever take the words of someone like Kacchan so seriously, even though Izuku can admit that the explosive blonde had a point.

(But Todoroki-kun is a work in progress. Give him time. Izuku knows growth when he sees it.)

In any case, it won't do to leave the Director in this awful mood. Izuku has seen what he's capable of when he's "_ irritated _". It's hard to describe, but if Todoroki were capable of creating ice with his body, he'd freeze everyone in an iceberg that can sink at least ten Titanics.

"... you're right Director!" Izuku agrees desperately. "S… so, I think I'm going to get Hawks back to our table now-"

"I am going out for air. For an unrelated reason."

With all the dignity of a top executive of Endeavor, Todoroki stands up, turns around, takes one huge step, misses that step, and falls flat on his face.

The crowd gets so quiet after his fall that Izuku thought he went deaf. Todoroki doesn't move for a while-the shocked Izuku wonders if he somehow froze himself on the ground and if he should step in and pry him off of there. When the Director finally moves after an agonizing second, there's blood on his hand from a small cut on his forehead.

It's amazing that Todoroki can manage such an injury, but more amazing is how Uraraka-san runs faster than she's ever run in the race to go to his side. "Director! What happened?!"

Todoroki does that thing with his eyes where it's obvious to any outsider that he isn't seeing or hearing anyone else but Uraraka anymore. "I… tripped."

"I can see that! How did this even happen?! We'll have to clean you up! I'll bring you up to the penthouse, you need to lie down and recover!"

Before anyone can stop them, Uraraka gets Todoroki up on his feet. One arm goes around his waist, and one arm forcibly drapes his arm over her shoulders. It doesn't look like she could completely support him at first, mainly due to the large height difference, but fueled by righteous fury over him tripping over himself, Uraraka hoists the Director up with little difficulty.

Endeavor secretaries are pretty scary when they're fired up, Izuku thinks.

"Secretary Uraraka-"

"No buts," Uraraka tells him sharply. "I'll take care of you, Director, so don't worry."

The rest of the company watches in stunned silence as the Angel Secretary guides the Demon Director out of the auditorium. The only one who's probably not surprised at the turn of events is Hawks, who floats right next to Izuku with an amused smirk.

"Hawks," Izuku squeaks. He wants to say something with more details like _why would you say all that do you want everyone to die _but that's all he's able to manage after teetering from primal fear to sheer relief in a short span of time.

There isn't a smidgen of remorse on Hawks' face when he grins at Izuku. "Adorable, aren't they, Deku-kun? Especially the part where Shouto had that obvious internal crisis over Uraraka-chan! He's so cute when he's upset, I can't help but give him just a lil push~ Worked pretty well, even if I do say so myself."

There was nothing li'l about that push!

The blonde man hums, obviously pleased with himself. "Now I'm sure Shouto's gonna try his best not to let her go. I know you're helping him, Deku-kun, so do your best to keep her _right where she belongs _, 'mmkay?"

Izuku laughs uneasily. Was he that obvious? Todoroki-kun isn't gonna be happy about this. "U-uhm-I don't know what-"

Before he can stammer another excuse, Hawks clamps a strong hand over his shoulder, that pretend-lazy smile never leaving his mouth. "You're going to _do your best, _right, Deku-kun?" he repeats, eyes disconcertingly focused like a hawk.

Izuku, feeling strangely cornered, can only stammer something that sounds like "Yes sir Hawks sir" and bow in apology many times, even though he's done nothing wrong.

"Good! We're counting on you~"

_We? _Izuku wants to ask who he's talking about, but before he could, the older man leaves him be and floats towards the crowd to keep the rest of the games going as if nothing happened.

Takami Keigo really is a man to be feared, isn't he?

* * *

_AN: And here we have Hawks, up to no good~ I wonder what that's aboout? (I seriously wonder too, haha, since this story is also in progress in my head)  
Have you had enough of Shouto being dumb? I hope you haven't yet because he and Ochako still have a long way to go :D  
I don't have a lot to say with this update lolol. I hope you like it, and as always thank you for your lovely comments, they make me cry and they keep me going!_


	8. Stay With Me

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 8: Stay With Me**

* * *

The Director's a little unsteady when they make their way to the elevator, but he manages to make it to the penthouse without tripping over anything. Honestly, for someone who spends a lot of his free time training in martial arts, Ochako can't believe how clumsy Director Todoroki is lately. Maybe all these changes in his life are causing him stress? She has to figure it out soon before he gets something broken.

Ochako puts him on the couch, gets the first aid kit, and starts dressing the wound in focused silence. Victoria doesn't hiss at Ochako for once. It seems that even she understands that Ochako needs to help her precious clumsy owner out. Still the cat watches her warily from atop her cat condo, tail twitching judgmentally.

Ochako finds the break in the skin of his forehead over on the left side underneath his eyebrow, just missing the outer edges of his scar. It stopped bleeding, but he's going to have an obvious bruise around that area. He can probably hide it with his bangs for his upcoming meetings. Hopefully it won't be too obvious if she puts makeup over it. She'll have to add another five minutes or so to their daily routine...

She carefully tilts his chin up to examine the rest of his face for any other injuries. He seems to be fine, although his eyes stay down and away from her gaze, uncharacteristically devoid of energy.

"Director… are you okay?"

She's sure that his senses have recovered from the blow to the head. He was able to answer all her questions properly: who he was, who she was, the date, the place, the events that led to this moment of her holding on to his face and gazing at him in worry. By this time he would have had her deal with the other offices to prevent another accident like that, but he's stayed disconcertingly quiet the entire time.

"I am," he answers quietly, after a beat of silence that lasts too long.

Well… at least he can talk. "I'm going to send a complaint to the logistics team of that event. The stage was obviously uneven. It was a hazard for everyone there with you."

Not looking at all concerned, he replies, "I suppose it was. Do what you need to do."

She frowns. "Director, are you sure that you're okay? Do you need me to call someone?"

Because any time that Director Todoroki wasn't acting like a heartless demon, or a clueless one, was a cause of concern. Ochako knew that behavioral changes after a blow to the head means something serious. She might need to take him to the hospital, after all.

It also looks like he has a serious headache too, judging by the way his eyes squint. Rubbing the space between his eyes, he asks, "Do you really think I need someone else, Secretary Uraraka?"

By this time she's sure that something's wrong with the Director. "Exactly. I should contact Dr. Natsuo as soon as-"

To her surprise, he interrupts her with a sigh. "Uraraka, you don't understand me at all, do you?"

Before she can ask what he means, he leans in closer to her.

Paralyzed by the strange look in his eyes, Ochako watches as he quietly takes her hand in his. He squeezes parts of her palm and wrist with his fingers until she drops the tube of medical ointment on the cushions between them. He takes her closer to him, staring at the pinks of her fingertips in a daze.

"I don't feel well enough to be alone right now," he mutters, voice just above a whisper. "Stay the night."

An anxious silence fills the sudden void between Ochako's ears. "Um… Director, what do you mean?"

He stares at her dead in the eye. "Exactly what I said. I need you near me tonight. So stay with me."

Ochako feels her head spin. "D… do you mean… are you asking me to sleep… with…"

She can't stop herself from trailing off, especially when Director Todoroki confirms everything with a nod. "Is that too much to ask, Secretary Uraraka? I understand if it's difficult considering what just happened, but-"

Ochako needs to stop staring into his eyes to gain some semblance of sense. She tries to convince herself that this is all the head trauma speaking and she needs to stop being stupid about this. It's hard though-the Director's face is famously so beautiful that you can get lost in it. She never truly understood what that meant until now.

It takes a deep, calming breath and more than a second to decode what the Director meant, but after analyzing his words one by one, she thinks she finally gets it. "Um, Director, I could be wrong, but... you want me to stay in the guest room so you can call me if you need help with anything, right?"

Todoroki furrows his brow. "Yes."

"Ah. Right," Ochako says, deflating despite herself. Well… she should have known. She's had to stay over at the penthouse every now and then to finish deadlines. This won't be different, even though now she seriously feels like she needs to chant an entire booklet of sutras to rid herself of impure thoughts.

Director Todoroki unfortunately notices her crisis. Perturbed, he asks, "What did you think I was asking of you, Secretary Uraraka?"

She whips her head to face him with a stiff smile. "Nothing! I understood it crystal clear the first time."

"No, you seemed confused." He stares at her thoughtfully. "Ah. When you said sleeping with-"

"-I didn't mean that!" God, how can someone so dense be so observant at the same time?! "I knew that you weren't asking me to literally sleep with you on your futon, Director, so please don't imply anything!"

"I'm not," the Director reassures her. "But I do understand why you would suggest bed sharing out of convenience. It would be easier for me to call on you should I need assistance."

For the umpteenth time in her life, Ochako wonders if this man is for real. "I wasn't suggesting that at all, Director! Please be careful, I know you always mean things literally but I don't want you to be accused of sexual misconduct at work or anything!"

"Sexual," the Director repeats neutrally. "... is that what it sounded like, Secretary Uraraka?"

She knows that Director Todoroki would never push her into anything like that, but it has to be said because he doesn't seem to know the ordinary implications of sharing a bed. The Director eyes her carefully. "I understand your concern. If you're really uncomfortable staying with me, I'll manage. Don't worry about me."

Hearing him say something so considerate actually worries Ochako more than anything else. "I can stay in the guest room for tonight. I said I'll take care of you, so…"

If it's the guest room, she won't be uncomfortable. All the basics are there including a spare set of work clothes she left from their last all-nighter. The Director can buzz her through the intercom if he really needed help, Victoria can bother either of them all she likes, and the distance between them is both near and far enough for them to feel assured.

Todoroki's eyes light up when she says so. He's about to say something else when his phone sounds and interrupts the amiable silence between them.

The moment he sees the screen, the light in his eyes darkens like an eclipse.

"Director?"

He's irritated again. She knows it can only be one of few things, the Chairman being the top of that list and the end of the world being the last. "Change of plans, Secretary Uraraka. Go home now."

The shift in his demeanor is staggering-his eyes are suddenly clear of the fog that had him in the docile state he was before. It's not an improvement, though. "Right now? But you asked me to stay with you."

"I can take care of myself."

Just like that, the famous icy barrier that Todoroki Shouto possesses rises up between them. Ochako has seen this in action many times against men and women he had a special disinterest in, but this might be the first time in a long time that Ochako felt it used against her.

Wasn't he holding her hands and asking her to stay just a moment ago? Ochako can't help the stab of hurt in her chest when she catches the cold look in his eyes.

He sees her flinch, and to his credit, he visibly struggles with the tone of his voice when he speaks again. "... you must be tired from today. Focus on yourself. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

The tone of his voice is final. Hurt feelings or not, there's nothing else for Ochako to do but to gather her things and bow quietly. "As you wish, Director," she says formally before leaving the penthouse.

As she leaves, she could have _sworn _Victoria mewls with her pleadingly not to leave the Director alone.

* * *

In no time, Ochako is at the lobby of Endeavor Tower. It's hard to keep herself composed when she's still in her dirty gym clothes while her head is spinning thanks to the Director (again) but she manages.

What was that all about? Director Todoroki always gets sour after any sort of interaction with the Chairman, but his mood was never so bad that he asked Ochako to leave when he obviously needed her. She wonders if she should be worried-if it's something that will cause the Director to be distracted in the upcoming days when the company critically needs his concentration the most.

Maybe she should ask Fuyumi-san about it? If it's anything that she's allowed to know, Fuyumi would be completely honest with her about anything. She knew that Ochako's good at adjusting to whatever the Director needs. It wouldn't be a problem.

Caught up in her thoughts, she almost crashes face-first into someone walking right at her.

"Oi, Space Cadet, watch it."

She would have apologized, but the rudeness of the greeting stops her. She's about to regard the person coldly until she sees his face.

_Chairman Todoroki? _

But he's obviously not the Chairman. She doesn't even know why she would think that when she sees the guy's jet black hair, pale skin, disarmingly handsome face decorated with piercings. Maybe it's the cold blue eyes or the condescending look in them that made her look twice?

They're definitely similar, but he's younger than the Chairman, probably in his thirties. And his entire death metal look-torn and frayed at the edges, arms covered up to the wrists in black and steel, liberal piercings-is definitely not what any Todoroki would usually wear in public. Well, at least none that she knew personally, and she thinks she intimately knows the more important members of the family by now.

"Take a picture. It lasts longer," the guy quips with a grating smirk.

Has she really been gaping at him like a fish? In any case, that smug shit-eating grin and that cocky eyebrow raise is just plain _rude _and Ochako is having none of that after this tiring day.

"Pardon my rudeness," she mutters with a puff of her cheeks and a purposeful upturn of her nose. Hopefully this tells that guy that she doesn't have time to waste on rocker guys who are obviously in the wrong place.

But the guy isn't letting her go just yet. Suddenly he's got a hand on her shoulder, turning her around to face him.

She does not hide her annoyance when she's forced to look into that conceited face again. "Excuse me, did you need help?" she asks in the most polite, customer-service-y tone she can manage.

Obviously not one to bother with unimportant things like EQ, the dark-haired guy reaches out to read her work ID without permission. "Secretary Uraraka, huh? Yeah, I need your help. What's it take to see someone important in this joint?"

She reflexively snatches her ID out of his grasp. "I would advise you to make sure of who it is you want to see first, sir."

"Touchy, touchy," he says with a derisive snort. "Well… let's just say I got an important message for Manager Todoroki Shouto. Last I heard he's workin' for Todoroki Enji, right?"

Ochako blinks. Todoroki Shouto hasn't been a manager for the Chairman's office for years now. Talk about outdated information. "Um… _Director _Todoroki Shouto works in a different office now, sir."

The man hums. "Well, I'll be. The guy's working his way up the corporate ladder, huh."

It's not like his position in the company is a corporate secret or anything, but she wonders if she should have given that information easily. Talking to this guy is giving her the heebie-jeebies, and it isn't just because of his dystopian appearance. She attempts to not show any bit of hesitation when she says, "If you must see him, an appointment must first be made through the secretarial service."

He raises his pierced eyebrows at her. "You, in other words."

"Me, in other words." Ochako smiles stiffly. "You should know though that the waiting list is pretty long, and I am off-duty right now. So you should try again tomorrow."

The guy chortles. "Damn, Endeavor's got a whole building of mindless workbots at his disposal, huh. Well, can't say I didn't expect this. I guess I gotta take things into my own hands."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, Space Cadet." He snickers ominously, shoves his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Ochako wonders if she just imagines the scar tissue peeking out of his sleeves at the motion. "Thanks for your help, I guess. I'll see you around."

Nonchalantly, the guy turns and leaves her for the elevators. Before she can warn him that a keycard is necessary to access any of the floors above, the elevator closes and zooms upward.

Strange, definitely strange. She wonders if she should contact security over this, but no-one in the lobby was alarmed, which means he had a valid reason for being there. Anyway, he wouldn't be the first eccentric millionaire in strange clothing to come by the tower for a meeting. Maybe that's all there is to it.

She makes her way home, being wary of bumping into any more strange people along the way.

* * *

"Just get out of there, Ochako," Reiko tells her severely through a mouthful of fried rice. "That's the answer to all your problems."

Yui and Reiko decide to ambush her a few nights later in her apartment with Chinese takeout, beer, the soundtrack to Yaomomo's latest movie _The Goddess of Creation _on loop _, _and a steely determination to cut off Todoroki Shouto from her life as quickly as possible.

She doesn't know what brought this up now, to be honest. Even though they have always been supportive of her 'just leaving that guy to rot,' the two of them seem more agitated than usual. She hasn't been complaining about the Director since their last meeting, and she has actively tried to stop whining about her life since then.

The white-haired girl points her chopsticks at her accusingly. "That's exactly why we're suspicious. Ever since you told us he proposed, you've been pretty quiet. I don't believe for a second that he's treating you better without a ridiculous motive behind it."

Yui gives her a suspicious look. "Todoroki weird. Ochako weirder."

Ochako scoffs. "What's weird? What if there's nothing more about Todoroki Shouto to talk about? If you're worried about him proposing marriage again, he hasn't."

But he did take her out on a date, which was a nicer experience than it should have been. Not ordinary, but still nice.

"And he's been giving me a hard time at work like usual, but it's nothing I can't handle."

He's also been doing lots of unpredictable things at work way before he hit his head, like letting her speak more casually and hanging out with everyone else. Ochako thinks he's trying to make her more comfortable around him, but his attempts have been clumsy so far. Again, not ordinary, but also nice.

"I even had a few nights off to do what I like. I mean, I was able to go out with Bakugou-kun, so that was pretty neat."

Except she couldn't get him out of her head the entire time, and he ended up almost having a streetside brawl with her date. That one is not so nice. Not the fact that she can't stop thinking about the Director per se, but—

Gosh. Yui was right. Todoroki weird, Ochako weirder. What is going on with her?

Reiko pouts. "You're spacing out again. I can sense a lot of untold deets there, Ochako. What's really going on with you?"

Suddenly feeling awful and defensive, she stuffs her cheeks with three shrimp dumplings before she can stop herself. "Mmphghgh!" she replies indignantly with soy sauce spilling at the corners of her mouth.

"Hey, what the heck, slow down!"

She considered telling them everything, she really did, but if she admitted that Director Todoroki Shouto managed to send her into a flurry of confusing feelings, who knows how they'll react? Best case scenario is Reiko flips a chair or two and drinks all the beer in the fridge. Worst case scenario, Yui gives her the Neutral Face Of Displeasure for the rest of her life.

So she chooses her next words carefully. Some details would be good to share, probably. Just the vaguest of them. Maybe she can start with their surprise date at Mightyland and make it seem like a not-date? It'll be hard to frame such a wonderful night like that, but Ochako has to try.

So she swallows her food and tries not to have a single emotion in her face when she starts: "Well, you see, Director Todoroki-"

Of all people, Yui interrupts her by making an offended noise. She almost inhales on the half-chewed dumpling still in her mouth, and almost chokes on it further when the stoic girl tugs on Reiko's sleeve and communicates something to her with a glance.

Reiko gasps and looks at her accusingly. "You're right! Ochako, what's that?!"

"What's what?" she asks in utter confusion, as her fingers mindlessly twist the dainty silver chain on her-

_Oh. Shit. _

She can manage this. The best lies work the best when the liar herself believes in the lie. All she has to do in this split second is to not believe that Director Todoroki took her on a date that made her heart do flips and flops for days and then gave her this pretty necklace afterward, and to instead say something convincing like, "Oh-are you talking about this necklace that the Director definitely did _not _give _-" _

"He gave it to you," Reiko supplies for her darkly.

"... he gave it to me," Ochako sighs.

The other girls groan in sheer and utter disappointment. "It's pretty, I'll give him that, but it's a pretty distraction. It's obvious to me now that he isn't going to let you go."

Ochako begins to sputter defensively. "Now that's just unfair! He is absolutely going to let me go! He told me this was a goodbye present, so it means he's going to say goodbye! He's gonna let me resign as planned, okay?"

Reiko raises her eyebrow. "Really. So you think he's acting a little nicer, giving you a few nights off, making you wear a pretty little necklace, painting himself as your ideal man… because he's ready to say goodbye to you? Do you think that's logical, Ochako?"

"... well… why not?" she asks, suddenly unsure.

Sighing like a father who has the unfortunate job of educating his wayward daughter on all the disturbing machinations of a boy's mind, Reiko explains, "The Demon Director you knew for the past nine years wouldn't do that _just because _. You know deep in your heart that he doesn't operate like that. He's a guy that always does something for his own profit, like all businessmen do. I'm willing to bet that he gave you that necklace not to say goodbye, but to keep you around. It's a way of marking what's his."

Come to think of it, she wore it everyday because he told her to. When he sees her first thing in the morning, his eyes always search for it, and he always does that little satisfied nod when he sees it on her.

Yui's face is absolutely Neutral and Displeased. "Collar," she summarizes succinctly.

Shit. Is this thing-this cute little moonstone that she honestly really really liked-is this really a _collar?! _

Reiko gives her a dead look. "Geez, I can't believe you didn't realize it sooner. Sad thing is, as far as collars go this isn't even the nicest one he can give you."

"... Victoria-chan's is better," Yui agrees.

She won't admit it, but Yui is right. Victoria has a pretty collar with gemstones on it specially made for photoshoots and public appearances. They didn't have to be so mean about it though! "Enough! This isn't a collar, this is a gift. The Director accepted my resignation and showed me his gratitude. End of story."

"Oh denial," Reiko sighs. Yui huffs in annoyance.

Her phone rings, distracting them from all the horrible accusations.

"Mm!"

At the pointed look in her cousin's face, Ochako sputters defensively. "No, Yui-chan, I didn't forget our agreement! I'm not gonna answer the phone if it's the Director. Anyways it's not him it's… um. Bakugou… kun."

Much to her surprise, the name on her screen really reads _Bakugou Katsuki _instead of the usual _Director Todoroki. _That's… surprising.

The girls look at each other with obvious relief on their faces. Ochako should be relieved that the attacks on her person are finally going to stop, but really, is any other guy than Director Todoroki better for her? They don't even know Bakugou and his foul mouth, maybe they'd think twice if they actually met him! Isn't that unfair for the Director to be treated this way?

Wait, why is she insulted for the Director? He wouldn't care, and she shouldn't care, so—

"Well well well. Looks like there's hope for you yet, Ochako," Reiko says with a grin. "Yui and I'll give ya privacy. Go on, answer him!"

Ignoring her weird thoughts, Ochako excuses herself and steps out of the living room. There's one likely reason why Bakugou-kun would call her on a random weeknight. She's been looking forward to this, but suddenly she doesn't feel as ready as she could be.

She settles down on her bed, takes a deep breath, and answers the phone. "Hello? Bakugou-kun?"

_"Oi, Roundface." _For some reason she can hear his trademark, self-assured smirk through the rasp of his voice. _"So they got a phone signal down there in the dungeon where that Icyhot Bastard keeps you jailed?" _

"That's not funny, Explodeyface. For your information, I'm a free woman, Director Todoroki doesn't own a dungeon, he gives me a living wage with a phone plan, I'm in my shitty apartment downtown, and you're a big meanie for assuming otherwise!"

_"What the fuck Roundface calm down. What got your panties in a twist?" _

Great, now she's defending Director Todoroki. Her mood is so weird, but it's everyone's fault for insisting that she has to be miserable with her boss!

"It's nothing Bakugou-kun. Sorry." She takes another calming breath. "So, um. Is this about what we talked about last time?"

Bakugou pauses on the other end. "_ Yeah, that. _"

"Did you find anything?"

_"'Course I did. Didn't even break a sweat. _"

Ochako gasps in disbelief. "Really, Bakugou-kun? But it's been just a day! You really found out about the fire?"

_"Yeah." _

Another pause-Ochako is sure that she's just imagining the disquieted air around him. He just doesn't look like the type who'd say anything with uncertainty. But then the pause stretches. She hears real hesitation in the subtle inhale he takes before he speaks. _"1995. A bungalow in a small neighborhood in the Tattooine District burns down. Details how the fire began unknown-neighbors assumed it was an accident in the kitchen caused by the single mother who lived there, but police investigation saw gas cans, matches, all sorts of shit out the backyard. Signs of a break-in, but not theft. You were right about one thing-arson was highly being considered in the case. They weren't able to find enough evidence other than that so the case remains unsolved. _"

Her hands begin to shake. "And th… that's our neighborhood… that has to be it…"

_"No fuckin' question about it. _"

He doesn't say anything to break the uncertain air around him. Ochako suddenly feels a great sense of foreboding. "But, Bakugou-kun… apart from the woman, did they report anyone else in the case? Did they mention anything about the boy?"

_"... not a fucking thing." _

Ochako's heart drops. "So… that might not be it, after all."

_"Nah. Not a lot of fires happened in your neighborhood, Cheeks. The last one before this incident happened in the eighties. _"

"But… that doesn't make sense. There was someone else there in that house when it burned down. There was-"

_"I ain't done. I'm only telling you the details from the official report. As you can tell, it's a ton of fuckin' bullshit. I'm real sure something happened to stop the investigators from doing their fuckin' job catching the arsonist. It's a cover-up." _

"Cover-up? Are you sure, Bakugou-kun? I mean, it's such a small incident. Even if it's arson…"

Bakugou clicks his tongue at the other end. _"It's so fuckin' obvious if you read the report. You know, from the moment you said that Endeavor bought the land, I guessed that they had something to do with the incident. The entire thing stinks from the get-go. Somebody important is hiding something." _

"So… you're saying that someone in Endeavor covered up the incident?" she says doubtfully.

_"Yeah. Don't fuckin' quote me on that, Cheeks. But I'm betting Todoroki Enji's the one behind all this." _

Now that is not a name that anyone can say freely, especially not in a delicate conversation like this. Ochako almost chokes when she hisses, "That's a pretty heavy accusation, Bakugou-kun! How can you say that?"

It's part of Bakugou's job to be suspicious, but right now he sounds exactly like a conspiracy theorist-the crazy type who gets turned into memes on the internet. She guesses that he's used to big names in corporate doing shady stuff like this, but... What would an important man like Chairman Todoroki hide in such a tiny neighborhood like hers?

But Bakugou does not make a single sound of doubt. Somewhere at the other end of the line, Ochako hears the click of a lighter and the following drag of a cigarette. _"... you sure you wanna hear the rest of it, Cheeks?" _

Ochako swallows nervously. "Why wouldn't I want to hear it?" she asks, as if convincing herself of her own convictions too. "I've waited for so long to know about what happened, Bakugou-kun, don't hold out on me now."

_"... just sit your ass down, okay? And until I get more details, don't go blabbing to anyone about it or snooping 'round Endeavor on your own. I'm serious, Uraraka." _

The urgent tone of his voice does not do anything to calm down the flips her stomach is doing. Ochako exhales shakily. "Okay... I promise."

_"... tch." _Bakugou exhales for some time, no doubt releasing all the smoke from his lungs-she imagines him considering the weight of his words in a careful way that looks odd on a brash character like him. The suspense of waiting for him to speak again just about kills her, until...

_"The woman's name… is Todoroki Rei." _

"Todoroki… Rei?"

_"Yeah. The estranged wife of Todoroki Enji, _" Bakugou confirms. _"And if I ain't wrong… one of her sons was involved in that fire, too. _"

In the empty space of her mind where fragments of that memory linger, Ochako finds herself chasing after its threads again. She closes her eyes to try to see that woman in white, the boy clinging to her leg. There's a large kitchen with nothing much in it. She's peering out the window. She's telling them something that sounds important before the fires start.

No, it doesn't make sense, Ochako thinks in desperation, even though all she can think of is the small, cold hand taking hers, the small frame wearing a tattered blue cardigan leading their way through a crevice in the debris.

It's… impossible. If it was one of the Todoroki sons, she'd know. If it was Natsuo-san or the Director, she would have recognized them years later, even though her memory is so shaky and blurry… she would, she promised him she would, so…

Suddenly, all she can think of is the Director's scar. There were lots of smoke and embers that day-anyone who was there could have been burned. A five year old who was protecting another five year old too, no matter how small and fast he tried to be. Ochako tries to suppress the tears from her eyes, the bile at the back of her throat, the sudden shortness of her breath-

Was it really Todoroki Shouto who saved her life back then?

* * *

Katsuki takes another drag from his cig as he listens to the stuttered breaths on the other line.

Shit, he hated that noise. He hated it when people cried and had no qualms about telling people to shut their traps when they had the audacity to do it in front of him. Then again, when people cried because of anything he said it's because they're corrupt losers who got caught and couldn't believe that they got caught. Otherwise they're extras undeserving of even a single flying fuck. Noone has time for that kind of emotional bullshit.

Not this time though. For the first time in his life, Bakugou Katsuki's is keeping his damn mouth shut while listening to someone cry. And it's a girl he met just once-a random corporate slave whose round face he can't get out of his head.

What the fuck is happening to him.

No, seriously, what the fuck? What made a man like Bakugou-fucking-Katsuki shut up for once? Some chick he demanded to meet in person just to see how round her face was? He didn't even expect to like her. He didn't plan on liking her enough to make that date last long as it did, or to listen to her stories, or to do her favors, or to almost punch someone's jaw off for her-and it has to be that shitty Half-and-Half heir of one of the largest conglomerates of Japan, what the fuck?!

Now here he is, calling her first after doing a shit ton of legwork that was really fucking difficult, even if he'll never admit it. He knew the moment that Endeavor was involved that this case wasn't going to be easy to find, but holy shit, they really tried their fucking best to wipe this incident off the face of this planet. Getting info in his usual ways got him exactly zero leads. It was so bad that he gambled on using the favor that Inspector Tsukauchi owed him to get just that smidgen of information that he was able to tell her.

He was saving that favor for a monumental story so it wasn't an easy decision to make. He reasoned with himself that using it up was worth it just to tell Endeavor and his shady fix-it team that they can suck it, but after seeing the Inspector's face pale on the mention of this incident, Katsuki knew immediately that this is the monumental story he was waiting for.

_"Bakugou-kun… this can get you and your associates in a lot of trouble. Are you sure this is worth it?" _the inspector had asked him. Like that would ever stop a guy like him. Katsuki tried his best to say a polite version of _fuck _and _yeah _(and probably failed) _, _and Tsukauchi can do nothing else after that.

Being one of the most righteous people in the force, it is concerning that even Tsukauchi Naomasa hesitated telling Katsuki the name _Todoroki Rei. _But that just makes him cling onto this case harder than before.

There's just too many questions, like _what the fuck happened? _What was Todoroki Rei doing in a shithole like that? Why did she have her kid with her in said shithole? Who was the arsonist? Why was it covered up?

Why was Uraraka so invested in this case?

Yeah, he's sure that his own interest in this case goes beyond digging dirt on Todoroki Enji. He could have asked her why she wanted to know about this so badly, but his instincts told him that it wasn't the right time yet. She's keeping her involvement in this story for a reason-either she's guilty of a crime relating to that incident and is sending him on a wild goose chase, or she's forgotten a whole chunk of what happened out of trauma and is now struggling to regain everything for closure.

Fact is, she was five when it happened, and now she's afraid of fire. He's betting on the second one.

"I'm sorry about that, Bakugou-kun. Are you still there?"

Her voice sounds drained when she finally speaks again. "Yeah. Still here, Cheeks."

"Sorry about that! I'm just… surprised about all the things you found out. I didn't ever expect that the Todorokis were involved in this… I mean, I've worked with them for so long and I never thought that it could have been them, you know?"

Katsuki clicks his tongue. "That kinda family's bound to have skeletons in the closet. That's just the way it is."

He hears her hesitation at the other end. "Do you think," she says, with an intake of breath, "that it could be the Director…?"

He knew she was gonna be worried about that prick sooner or later. Doesn't stop him from feeling irritated. "Icyhot?... yeah, could be. But it could be the older one too. And who knows, that kid doesn't really have to be a Todoroki. Could be some other lost kid who ended up in that dump."

That burn scar raises a lot of questions, though. He knew from his research that patch of burnt skin on Todoroki Shouto's face was attributed to an accident involving a brazier at home. He was chasing a cat, toppled over some coal that got on his face, was sent to the hospital for a few days, went home without any other lasting injuries.

But that was mentioned only once at an interview with Todoroki Enji twenty years ago. Anyone else who dared to ask the family about that scar had their interviews brutally cut short.

So, how much of that was BS? "Listen, I'm not done investigating this case. Next time I call you, I'll know the guy who did it."

"Bakugou-kun, it's okay. You've done more than enough. I couldn't ask for more."

He smirks. "I don't half-ass anything, Cheeks. I told you I'll get to the bottom of things, and that's what I'm gonna do."

She laughs for the first time since he called. "Geez, I think you're in this just 'cause you wanna bring the Chairman down. You're gonna investigate us all out of a job, Explodey-face."

"You bet your round ass I am, Angelface. But you're leavin' that dump anyways, so good on you."

She giggles. Something in Katsuki's chest begins to sting. Shit, is this reflux? He might have to take it easy on all that spicy food. "If you make me lose my job before I quit, you're gonna have to feed me and pay my bills with all the money you're gonna make investigating this, Eddie Brock."

Despite himself, he grins. "Whatever, fine. Stay with me, I'll show ya that you don't need that half-and-half's dirty corporate money to survive."

Katsuki has never been a subtle man, but he surprised even himself with that _choose me not him _kind of shit this early on in the game. Needs to be said though. Uraraka deserves better than that Icyhot Bastard.

Unfortunately, the light chuckle at the other end tells him that she isn't taking him seriously enough. "Thanks, Bakugou-kun. Um, so, it's late, and I need to see the Director really early tomorrow… he got in a stupid accident at work, so someone needs to watch out for him..."

She always ends up talking about him one way or another, doesn't she? What the hell possessed her to become this devoted to that shit stain? Every time she says _Director _this and _Director _that, Katsuki feels a capillary bursting somewhere in his body and overwhelming urge to blast something to bits.

That guy really has her on a ball and chain-but not for long if he has anything to say about it. "Say no more, Cheeks. I hope you fuck everything up at work tomorrow."

She chortles. "I hope you step on dog poop tomorrow. Good night!"

The line cuts off, and he's met with the isolating sound of the busy tone. Katsuki considers the mystery he's stumbled himself into and decides that he has no choice but to finish this entire pack of smokes within the next couple hours. Shit, is he really going to dig through the Todorokis' fucked-up past for this girl?

Well… not like he can't. He's Bakugou-fucking-Katsuki, and he can do pretty much anything, even take down Todoroki Enji.

* * *

**_AN: _**_Oooo? So, another new character makes it to the fray!_

_So, if any of you have been catching up with the manga, wow, that last chapter just blew my brain to bits. I gotta say, now that we're learning more about the Todoroki Family Drama in the canon universe I'm getting a little nervous about writing the Todoroki Family Drama in this AU. Given that it's an AU it can be as different as I want it to be but I want it to be consistent with canon dammit! Well, whatever happens happens I guess._

_aNYWAYS, The next chapter is gonna come out in a couple of weeks, instead of just one :D It's so I can fix the details of the story and to have a bit of leeway in changing things if I need to change them, and also so I can catch up to some other challenges I joined for November and December haha. I apologize, and would like to ask for your patience!_

_Thank you for your continued support, please keep stanning Todochako, ILU all~_


	9. The Way We Were

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 9: The Way We Were  
**

* * *

Lately, Shouto has been… strange.

He's had to do a lot of things that he never thought he'd do, like aiming for marriage and wooing and dating (in that order); plotting and scheming not for the sake of work, but for the sake of someone else; fighting when he didn't mean to and not fighting even when he wanted to.

Obviously the cause and reason for all of this is Secretary Uraraka. Not for any sentimental reason, but a practical one: the benefits of having her as a wife (and her having him as a husband) outweigh any discomfort he may be experiencing right now.

But he wonders if practicality is all there is to it. There's nothing practical about the things he's done. Like raging at Bakugou, even if the guy deserved it. Or feeling terrible seeing Shinsou so close to Uraraka. It's troublesome how these _feelings _are already affecting him in his professional life, but no matter how hard he negotiates himself to remain objective and to focus on just getting a legal partnership with Uraraka, his brain refuses to cooperate.

He realizes that the longer he spends with Uraraka, the easier it is to lose the point of all of what he's doing. Tonight, he gets an inkling of _why: _

Exactly two heartbeats out of place—_ doki, doki— _at the exact moment Uraraka takes up all of his vision.

His pulse beats so loudly within his head that for a second all he can focus on is her-just _her, _breathing close to where he's breathing. Suddenly the proximity is overwhelming.

"Director, are you sure that you're okay? Do you need me to call someone?"

By now Shouto knows the intricacies of the sharpness of Uraraka's gaze like an algorithm, and in this distance he understands it too well. That sort of look she's giving him tells him that she's about to dial Natsuo to ask for a stat referral to the family neurosurgeon within the next five minutes.

Even if those two misplaced beats might be an actual medical emergency, his instincts tell him that no doctor can help him out with what he actually has.

"Do you really think I need someone else, Secretary Uraraka?"

She mindlessly worries over her lower lip. Shouto stares at its pink fullness. Things in his head click in place.

"I think I need to get you to the hospital. I should contact Dr. Natsuo as soon as-"

He should stop himself from staring at her lip-from _wanting _to have a closer look, because there is no sense to give in to such a random want-but blunt head trauma does wonders to the already thin filter he has in his head.

_I need her, _he concludes in that instant.

He's a little dizzy from the painkiller she had him take earlier, but reaching out to touch her isn't as difficult as he imagined it to be. Staring at her hands-at the pinks at the tips, their smallness and softness-even less so.

Before he can stop himself, he says, "I don't feel well enough to be alone right now. Stay the night."

Strange, all of him feels strange. Is he being inappropriate, touching her like this? He doesn't think about his words or his actions as he ought to.

He's afraid-afraid?-of what Uraraka might do or say next.

Uraraka, obviously uncomfortable, stammers through a number of responses. She mentions HR and sexual things and no, he has never wanted to use her like that, that thought never even crossed his mind, in his head everything he wants is simple and clean:

Shouto asks her to stay because he wants her there.

But it's clear by the uneasiness in her eyes that he's made a mistake. He may be dense, but he knows that he shouldn't force Uraraka into a set-up like this, even if he needs her to. "I understand your concern. If you're really uncomfortable staying with me, I'll manage. Don't worry about me."

Uraraka still looks worried, but thankfully the awkward air clears out in an instant. "I can stay in the guest room for tonight. I said I'll take care of you, so…"

Relief, although brief, washes over him in that instant. He's never realized how having Uraraka in the same space at him is comforting. He should tell her about all these strange thoughts he's having. Maybe she would help him understand. Maybe it will help her decide if she wants to stay with him for good or not.

He's about to say so when his phone buzzes over the coffee table.

A text message from Fuyumi. He assumes it's her inviting everyone in the family group chat for dinner, which he often skips because fuck Endeavor, but it's not.

He opens the message-Fuyumi. Her tone is urgent, and it's definitely not about dinner.

"Director?"

_Fuck, _Shouto thinks, wishing for the first time ever that Enji had asked him to come home for dinner for a hundred consecutive nights instead of this.

"Change of plans, Secretary Uraraka. Go home now."

"Right now? But you told me to stay with you."

"I can take care of myself."

She's always had expressive eyes. He's known how easily hurt shows through them, and right now he feels unacceptable for causing her to look that way again. But it doesn't matter.

"... you must be tired from today. Focus on yourself. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

He really doesn't want her to go, but this is not the time for either of them to remember anything.

There's a pause where Uraraka considers his words and the look in his eyes and the obvious mismatch in them. After years of working with him, she has a keen instinct on when she should or should not ask questions. Thankfully, that instinct of hers has not dulled one bit. "As you wish, Director."

She bows stiffly and takes her leave, not looking once. Victoria yowls after her, uncharacteristically desolate as the sound of the door closing echoes in the empty room.

* * *

The air is thick after she leaves, the time in between stretched impossibly thin as he waits for his closed door to open.

Shouto's hands shake wondering what he will say. What he expects him to say. Why he left, why he's back in Japan, why he decided to intrude into Shouto's space without telling anybody but Fuyumi.

His older sister can only apologize to Shouto for not being able to do anything about it. He wished that she had told him sooner, but he assumes that she's taken by surprise as well-if she had known that this person was visiting, Shouto is sure that she'd have done everything for the two of them not to meet like this.

After a beat, the door opens with an intrusive click.

He looks different each time he decides to come back in his life, but somehow Shouto is instantly sure that it's him. His hair is dyed black this time, styled in messy spikes that go in all directions. His eyes are the same shade of blue as Shouto's left. He's got twice as many more holes and piercings over his head than he did ten years ago before his abrupt exit. His clothes are ragged, torn, black and white and grey. He seems to have lost a lot of weight from the last photo he's seen of him.

A hand heavy with steel rings holds a universal key-card to Endeavor with Fuyumi's lanyard hanging from it. Of course he'd go to Fuyumi first.

The sardonic smile he wears somehow looks the same as ever. "Hey, Shouto. Are you just gonna stand there or what?"

He spreads his arms in front of him, as if daring him to come closer for a hug. The ends of his sleeves pull back with the motion, revealing twenty-four year old burn scars underneath.

Shouto remains frozen in his place. "Touya-_ nii. _"

Todoroki Touya, the eldest child, the runaway, the castaway, the prodigal son. He had a lot of names and labels, none of which he cared about, if the scrunch of his nose is any indication.

"It's Dabi now. And seriously, you aren't going to give this stranger a hug?"

He can't say he likes his older brother's new name. It adds more questions than answers to the list in his head. What is anyone supposed to say to their long-lost brother who's been gone for ten years?

"Why are you here?" is the first he manages to ask as Touya… no, _Dabi _pulls off his grunged-up boots off his stick-thin legs, throws his jacket on the floor, exposing the extent of the burns on his arms and chest.

"You know, just thought I'd drop by and see my precious baby brother, see how he's doing. See if he's up to his pits in money, simmering in a jacuzzi filled with Hennesy, doing lines with hundred-dollar bills, and if I can get in on it."

Shouto stiffly receives the rough pats on his shoulder as Dabi laughs at his own awful joke. "I don't do things like that."

"Not even before? What a waste, successor." The older man sniffs as he looks left, right, up and down, over the tatami mats, on to the cat condo where Victoria is staring at the stranger stiffly. "Man, this place is nice. Not as fancy as I expected, but still nice. I guess Enji's not scrimping on your salary or anything like that, huh?"

"The old man doesn't have a say on how much I earn now," he replies sharply. "All of this is from my hard work."

Dabi raises his pierced eyebrows at him, eyes gazing over at the bandage on his head. "I can see that. Are you doing his dirty work now? The ones that the Yaoyorozus used to do for him?"

"No. That's… none of that is true." Shouto makes a sound of irritation. "You haven't answered my question."

Dabi drops himself unceremoniously on his couch. "I just told ya. Came here to see you. What, ya got a restraining order on me or something?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem? Come on over here, Shou. Sit down."

Shouto tries to keep his hands from shaking at his sides. "Touya-nii, you can't just-"

His older brother's eyes are sharp when he cuts him off. "_ I said, sit down. _"

He hates how he couldn't stop himself from flinching-hates how Touya… no, Dabi notices, and enjoys his discomfort.

Shouto carefully pulls up a chair, sits down, and faces him. He can only watch the man carelessly puts his feet up on the coffee table to purposefully knock off the medical kit that Uraraka used on his wounds less than an hour ago.

He hears Victoria scamper away from the noise to seek refuge in the guest room where Uraraka is supposed to be staying. It's jarring how quickly the comfort in this space can be upended like this. Shouto glares at him coldly.

"Here we go. Wow, this is comfy. A lot better than the place we lived in years ago-remember the couch we had that always smelled like dried fish? This one doesn't smell like _anything _. You must have worked really hard to get this."

"... I did what I can."

Dabi nods. "You did it all, alright. Gotta say, I'm proud of you. It takes balls of steel to abandon half of your family and to kiss the hairy asses of the other half to get this level of wealth-"

"No, that's not..."

"-even if it meant getting beaten up by that bastard _everyday _if you didn't do as he says-"

"-it's not that simple-"

"-and even if it meant not fighting for us when he got rid of Mom, banished me to the US, and outright left Fuyumi and Natsuo to themselves just so he can focus on nobody else but you-"

"_ Nii-san- _"

"What?" Dabi sneers, letting his pierced tongue roll over his teeth. "Am I wrong, Shouto? Did I remember things correctly this time?"

Shouto struggles through the awful noise in his head. "I'm... sorry."

Dabi looks at him thoughtfully. "So why are you still here, doing what that old man tells you?"

He's been sorry for the past twenty-four years, that Enji chose him as the heir and that he did his best to fulfill his role. He thought that if he did-if he did everything Enji wanted-then he'd let Mom and Touya come back and forget about why they had to hide half of the family.

As stupid and illogical as Shouto is, he has nothing else to believe in. Is it wrong to hold on to the hope that Mom and Touya can come back if Shouto keeps doing his best?

"I still need to keep going, nii-san," he says quietly.

Dabi laughs coldly. "Figures. Can't blame you-it's terrible what Mom and I went through. You wouldn't want that for yourself."

Shouto takes a deep breath-his hands are shaking and cold again. Not good. "I don't want anything like that to happen to you again. Please believe me."

The other man makes a show of thinking about it. "Actions speak louder than words, little brother. Maybe if I'm lucky, you'll show me what you can do, huh? I mean I'll be here for a while, so-"

"What do you mean? How long?"

Dabi shrugs. "We're set to do things here and there for the next couple weeks, but it depends on what Leader wants. Knowing him, we're either staying here for a month or forever if he feels like it."

Shouto isn't sure if he should be concerned about who Leader is. He hasn't kept tabs on what his older brother has been doing since he moved to the US. Natsuo mentioned that he made music with a bunch of people from university before, but didn't seem serious about it.

"What are you up to?" he asks cautiously.

His older brother seems to relish in his uncertainty. "Nothing illegal. Don't worry about that."

That makes him worry more. Shouto isn't sure if he should ask the next question. "Does… Takami-san know-"

**"** **_If you tell that birdbrain that I showed up here, I'll flay you._**** " **

The dark look in his eyes tells him that he's serious. Shouto steps back.

Dabi sees the terrified look on his face and sighs dramatically. "Oh fuck, did I just scare you, Shouto? Sorry, I didn't mean to be so mean… hey, come here, come here, stop shaking, okay? Stop-"

Dabi is on his feet and crowding into his space before he can do anything about it. Stepping back, almost tripping on the coffee table and injuring himself again, Shouto can only shrink into himself as Dabi cages him within his arms.

His arms are abnormally hot. Shouto can feel the heat even beneath his clothes. Even though Dabi is a little taller, at this distance Shouto can feel just how skinny he is, and smell the cigarette smoke in his hair. His brother's hands on his neck makes him choke. Instead of feeling safe, he feels like he should be running away.

"Isn't this nice?" Dabi hums, stroking the back of his head. Shouto feels some of the strands of his hair snag in the rings adorning his fingers. "You know, I say a lot of mean things, but I really missed you. I can even say that I've forgiven you after all these years. Doesn't matter to me that you'll love Enji more than you love me or Mom-"

When Dabi's hand curls around his face, thumb dangerously encroaching upon his scar, Shouto's vision suddenly goes blank.

_[I love you, Shouto-what have I done?! What have I-] _

His hands jolt themselves awake and shoves Dabi away.

To his horror, all he can do is watch his older brother stumble backwards, almost falling on the floor but stopping himself by catching himself on the sofa.

Traces of shock are on Dabi's face before it contorts itself into another sardonic smile.

"_ Nii-san, _" Shouto chokes, "I didn't mean-"

His older brother waves him off. "I'm fine. I expected this. Thanks for not fucking disappointing me, Shouto."

As Dabi struggles to stand up, Shouto sees once again how close to falling apart he looks with every movement. Guilt-heavy, all-encompassing-flows through him in sickening waves. Shouto should help him, but he's frozen on the spot.

Dabi steps out of the penthouse without looking back.

* * *

Ochako goes up to the Director's penthouse the next day determined to do her best.

Never mind that she's still reeling from the way Reiko and Yui accused her of literally wearing Todoroki's collar. Never mind all the other life-changing things that Bakugou told her the night before. Never mind all the conflicting feelings she holds for the Director in her heart. She's a professional, and drama be damned she's gonna act like one.

She tries to convince herself not to think about all that when she sees Director Todoroki. It doesn't matter if he's the one she'd been looking for all this time, she has to try to act normal for both their sakes.

He comes out of his room unable to hide how exhausted he was-he's pale, he's got eyebags, his expression is dour. The bruise over his forehead has darkened and obviously stung with every movement. There's a faint smell of alcohol on his breath and an air of negativity around him that she's sure isn't just from his injury.

She regrets not insisting on staying with him. If she did, he wouldn't have looked this bad. She might have helped him manage the swelling better, got him to take his medicines, stopped him from drinking, even though she can't imagine why he would do that when he's supposed to be resting.

Besides, if she were here, she wouldn't have had a reason to speak with Reiko and Yui, who challenged all her useless feelings for him. She wouldn't have had to take Bakugou's phone call. She would have continued being pleasantly ignorant of her past, at least until she resigned from this job in peace.

Despite how he looks, he greets Ochako in his usual professional way. He takes a hefty swig of mineral water and says, "You said you'd put make-up on me."

She nods, gesturing to her humble make-up kit. "It'll only take a second."

"Take your time."

She takes out a number of tubes and canisters out of her kit-moisturizer, sunblock, primer, concealer-and methodically applies them over the Director's skin. Trying to keep her touch as light as possible, she carefully conceals the bruise first, and then the bags under his eyes.

She freezes slightly when she has to pay attention to the scar on his face. The conversation with Bakugou from the night before replays in her head.

_Is it really you? _

Maybe she pauses for a beat too long, because the Director opens his eyes and looks at her. "Uraraka?"

She shakes her head. "It's nothing. Close your eyes, please."

He stares at her for another quiet moment before obliging. With a sense of reverence she never had before, she lets her fingers brush over his scar. As gentle as she thought she was, he makes a soft noise in his throat at her touch.

She lets go of his face in alarm. "Sir?"

He opens his eyes and looks straight at her. There's a turbulence in his eyes that flashes before his eyes shift to their usual flat stare. "I'm fine. Your fingers are softer than I remembered, that's all."

"Okay… I'll keep going then."

Todoroki closes his eyes again. When she gets back to work, he doesn't recoil from her touch as she had half-expected.

_I can't blame him, _she thinks sadly. _This must have been painful… _

Something in the back of her eyes stings. Trying to keep her hands steady, she moves on to the rest of his face, finishing up with her fingers padding over his jaw. "Okay. We're good, Director," she says, struggling to keep herself bright.

He stares at himself in the mirror, carefully appraising his appearance. "Thank you. It's hardly noticeable now. You did a good job."

"You're welcome, Director." She looks at their reflection in the mirror to scrutinize her own work, but also notices other things-the way he towers over her at full height, how striking he looked, how commanding he seemed standing the way he usually does.

And next to him is her-round, subdued, in the same set of clothes she wore last week. The only thing eye-catching about her is the shiny moonstone around her neck. Does she always look this small next to him? Do they always look like they come from different worlds?

But this is fine. This tells her that Director Todoroki's silly idea of marrying her is just that-silly. No matter what she finds out about their past, present, or future, they're two people from different worlds. It's absurd to even think about being a constant in the Director's life at this point.

After some thought, she tells him, "Just to be safe, I think you should keep your bangs down."

He fumbles with his fringe, letting the hair fall over his forehead. It's the same style that he had when they started nine years ago before the two of them decided that it made him look too much like himself in high school. Recently Ochako has encouraged him to part it over on the right, which garnered plenty of good reactions from socialite magazines and potential business partners.

A strand of hair sticks out stubbornly no matter how much he fumbles with it. "No, I don't think so."

Ochako giggles. "I dunno, I think it looks great? I missed this look of yours."

"Really," he says flatly.

"Yep!" She reaches over and fixes his bangs for him. "I feel like I'm twenty years old and working for Manager Todoroki Shouto from the Chairman's Office again. Isn't that right, Manager?"

It's been a while, though she can't say that times were simpler then. Apart from his demonic work ethic, Todoroki was notorious for penalizing a lot of top executives for major things like sexual harassment and gender discrimination, and seemingly minor things like smoking in non-smoking areas.

A lot of people were afraid of him and asked Ochako how she can support a demon boss like that, but she backed him 100%. Apart from his harsh methods being ultimately good for the company, she's been on the bad end of those abuses of power. Not even working under Todoroki Shouto spared her from being groped or pressured by higher ups. But while she tried to keep quiet about it at the start, Todoroki noticed and decided to take things into his own hands.

_Come to think of it… he has been taking care of me since then, hasn't he? _

She snaps back to present time when Director Todoroki looks at her with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, if that's the case-"

"Hey!"

Before she can stop him, he reaches over and pulls out the hairstick that keeps most of her hair up in a bun. With a gasp, her hair falls in a wavy mess above her shoulders.

He smirks and gestures for them to stare at the mirror again. "You look exactly like the twenty-year old Secretary Uraraka Ochako who worked for Manager Todoroki from the Chairman's Office. Now we're exactly like the way we were before."

Ochako laughs; she feels like she's staring at a photo of them circa 2009. Back then she didn't know how to tie his tie, and he didn't know that water dispensers were another thing that he can use to make hot tea. They've always been a duo, haven't they?

"It's not the same! My skin isn't as nice as it was when I was twenty."

Todoroki shakes his head. "Your face is as acceptable as it's always been," he says vaguely.

She freezes. If she didn't know any better, he had just called her _pretty _just now. "Acceptable. Well, I'll take that, sir. Thank you."

A small smile is on his lips when he says, "You're acceptable in many other ways, Uraraka, and you have always complemented me well as my secretary. It would do you well to be more confident in the way you are."

She stops herself from choking. Feeling like her face is on fire, she stammers, "Um… gosh, Director, I don't think you've ever said anything so nice to me before. I honestly don't know what to say!"

He blinks. "Haven't I always been generous with my compliments? I recently told you how impressive it was that you're still alive, despite that one reporter hinting that all women who talk to me end up having heart attacks and dying."

How dense can a person be?! At least it keeps him from seeing the stupid smile on her face. "That isn't what she meant when she said you make women's hearts burst out of their chests!"

Todoroki tilts his head, still obviously puzzled. "Bad word choice, then. I still meant what I said, though."

Suddenly, all the heaviness she felt this morning is all gone.

_Please don't ever change, Director. _

* * *

Despite her protests, Director Todoroki insists on both of them coming to work as the younger versions of themselves. She can do nothing but comply.

They get mostly quizzical looks from everyone, the Office of the Executive Director included. Mina thinks Ochako looks squishier than usual. Kirishima thinks the Director is manly with that mysterious shadow over his eyes. Camie takes a snapshot of them in the speed of light, cooing at how cute and retro they look.

Meanwhile Iida and Monoma, being the more senior members of the group, get wartime flashbacks of the time they worked for the Director when he was still the manager for the Chairman's office. Iida in particular gets such a realistic flashback of all the ulcers he earned then that he actually _swayed _looking at the puzzled Director.

To Ochako's surprise, Director Todoroki looks amused at the varied reactions of his staff. He's never shown any indication of caring about what others think of him before today. When Ochako asks him quietly about it on the way to their meeting (because she's afraid that they might have offended him), all he has to say is,

"I care about what my office thinks of me, Uraraka. They're important to me, after all."

He probably doesn't mean for anyone to overhear, but Iida and Kirishima look suspiciously teary-eyed as they set-up their laptops for the day's meeting.

And so they begin talking about the long-awaited Flameon Art Center Opening-a major venture led by the Office of the Executive Director, assigned by the Chairman himself. They've mostly got the logistic problems out of the way thanks to a lot of hard work by Ochako, Camie, and Kirishima. Now all that's left is ironing out the details of the opening day itself.

"So here's the schedule of activities," Mina says as Kirishima moves on to the next slide on their Powerpoint. "The most important ones are the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the press conference, and the opening of all the galleries. We have no problem with the Shishida Jurota Collection-he's confirmed the attendance of Jack Mantis, Spiral, Plamo, Comicman and all the other commissioned artists. We're flooded by requests for invites! All these celebrities and big names want in on it! It's pretty exciting!"

Director Todoroki frowns. "What else do we have to offer?"

Mina's smile freezes on her face. "Um! W-well, there's also the… the lunch buffet-an artistic treat by the fantastic Chef Komori Kinoko! The event is called A Shroom With A View, and it'll be held in the open-air portion of the-"

Todoroki taps his fingers against the desk. Each motion of his finger seems to lower the room temperature by one degree. Ochako sees Mina shiver in her boots.

"What else."

Mina squeaks. Kirishima desperately shuffles through his notes to help her but comes out with nothing. Iida valiantly raises one square hand and booms, "F-for the Yaoyorozu galleries, as well! We have invited Chairman Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, and he has confirmed attendance! There have been talks of popular actress Yaoyorozu Momo-kun appearing for a script-reading-_ ouch, _Monoma-kun, your foot!"

"I'm sorry. I missed," Monoma says vaguely with a dangerous glare in his direction. Under his breath, he mutters, _Ix-nay on the ex-ay! _

While Iida mutters something about decoding code words again, the manager smiles sweetly at Director Todoroki. "These are all minor events that we are micromanaging fairly well, Director. Allow us the rest of the week to confirm the attendance of all the important artists and collaborators."

Director Todoroki shakes his head. "That's not my point, Monoma. These are fine, but these are all private events. I want all of you to come up with something that's open to the public."

"The public?" Iida asks weakly.

"Yes. The art gallery is aimed at the general public, after all. We need to have an event for them."

The rest of the room considers this problem briefly. "Um… so you mean, like, for ordinary dudes, Director?" asks Kirishima carefully.

Director Todoroki slaps his hand on the table, making everyone but Ochako jolt in their seats. "Exactly. Give me something that ordinary people will enjoy."

Camie hums as she taps her pencil on the desk. "Directoroki has a point, fam. I mean, all these events are fab, but like, if I were an ordinary person, I'd just go for the food, try to get a selfie with Yaomomo and then I'm ditchin' the rest of the show, yo~"

Most of the table regards her coldly. "Not everyone has plebeian tastes like you, Camie-chan," Monoma says cloyingly.

As usual, Camie takes this in stride. "Ya, I'm the first to admit it that I don't _get _modern art. And all these artists? I know Spiral's a hottie, but that's all I know about him. I literally wouldn't know these guys if I sold bath bombs at the Lush in the Wookiess Mall or something. Kiri, do your gym bros know about Jack Mantis' INSECT Series?"

Kirishima looks at her blankly. "Uhh, nah, girl. We talk about movies and bands, but not really, um… insects," he admits weakly, much to the others' chagrin.

"See?" Camie looks at the annoyed Monoma smugly. "Directoroki, that's the kinda crowd ya wanna get, right?"

Even though the Director initially looked concerned about the concept of selling bombs at the mall, he seems impressed with Camie. "Precisely. As it stands, I know that we cannot get an ordinary person interested in what we have to offer."

"Are the artists we booked for the event not popular enough, Utsushimi-kun?" Iida asks mournfully.

Camie puckers her lips in a hum. "They're gonna be. You need a great opening act, though. You need a big name that everybody and their mom knows, yeah? Hey, why don't you get Yaomomo to—"

Director Todoroki cuts her off immediately. "The head of the clan made it clear that she will only appear in their own private event. It is non-negotiable."

It's clear to the rest of the table too that the Director can't call in a favor from her, due to _reasons _. Ochako once again feels remorseful about _reasons _.

"A different celebrity might work?" Mina offers weakly. "What about Shindo Yo?"

Monoma shakes his head. "He's booked for the Yaoyorozu event too. A lot of the celebrities are interested in that one only 'cause of Yaomomo."

Yaomomo really is popular, huh? Idly, Ochako wonders if Reiko is going to be in the event too. She styled her in the _Goddess of Creation, _after all. The only reason they were listening to the soundtrack over and over was to get hyped for her appearance, and—

"Okay… a band, maybe? How about The Big 3? It's kinda short notice, but maybe we can bribe them to go if we go all out on the booking fee..."

In the midst of this, Ochako suddenly has an idea. "Band… that could work," she mutters under her breath.

Director Todoroki notices. In the midst of the discussion at the table, he whispers to her: "You have an idea?"

She nods. Her idea is pretty difficult, but if she pulls it off, she's sure that people-ordinary or not-are going to flood the streets just to see the opening act.

That's a big _if, _though. There's a fifty percent chance that she'll fail. But… "If you will allow me, Director, I'll take care of the opening act."

He regards her quietly. "Who did you have in mind?"

She shakes her head. "I'll make sure that my idea is feasible first before I share the details with you. I don't want to disappoint you if it isn't."

One corner of his mouth twitches upward. "You rarely disappoint me, Secretary Uraraka… but, have it your way. Get me their confirmation by tomorrow and I'll have them on board."

With a bright smile, she nods and places her attention back to the discussion.

* * *

Camie peers over her desk and raises her eyebrows. "Oh, dang! You're trynna get the LoV? For real?"

Ochako takes a deep breath as she looks at her next impossible task: an image of _the _LoV on her screen. "Yup. For real."

The League of Villains is one of the biggest acts of the year. They started out in the US, but they've accepted a lot of projects in other countries, Japan included. Recently, the band became successful for writing the soundtrack of _The Goddess of Creation _. Apart from the movie winning Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Ensemble Cast, the LoV also won an award for Best Musical Score. Nobody showed up to get their award from the awards show, though.

The charm with them is that despite their fame, nobody knows what they really look like. The frontman who calls himself Shigaraki Tomura goes on stage with a fake hand covering his face. The rest of the band also cover themselves up using all sorts of masks to add to the mystery. There are a lot of conspiracy theories about who they really are, but there haven't been any believable stories ever since their breakthrough single five years ago.

"It'll be so fuckin' lit if we get them for the event, Ocha-babes!" Camie says excitedly. "But, like… _how_?"

Problem is, the band is notoriously private. They don't do standard interviews with magazines. Shigaraki is the only one who's ever spoken in public on behalf of the band, and it's clear by his bad manners that he didn't want to do it. They're also fickle about the gigs they want to play. It's amazing how popular they got considering how much they seem to hate performing in public.

Admittedly, Ochako might be a little over her head on this one. But she's done impossible before. "Not yet, but I have my ways~ Watch and learn, Camie!"

"So fuckin' badass," Camie says, impressed. As Ochako's fingers fly over the keyboardat the speed of light, someone clears his throat in front of their desk. "Oh, it's Hawks. Whaddup, bossman?"

"Camie!" Ochako whispers, as she does her standard half-bow for their unfazed superior officer. "Um, Chief Secretary Takami, good morning! How may we help you?"

Takami Keigo gives them a charismatic smile that instantly puts everyone at ease—definitely the complete opposite of his boss, the Chairman. "Oh man, I wish everyone greeted me the way you greet me, Utsushimi-chan! Can you make Shouto-kun greet me like that too? It'll make me sooo happy!"

"No promises Hawks… I mean, y'know how Directoroki is. Ocha-babes is the only person he listens to," Camie says without a modicum of shame. Ochako gives her a hard look.

The Chief Secretary laughs. "That's the way it is since the beginning of time, I guess. You know, Uraraka-chan, all this time the Chairman wants to know what your secret is. If you quit, he's gonna make you and Deku-kun hold a seminar on how to speak in Shouto!"

When _I quit, you mean, _Ochako thinks with a strained smile. "I haven't received a directive from the Chairman's Office about that concern, sir."

"I'm kidding~ Geez, nine years with Shouto and now you're as serious as he is! That ain't good." Takami chuckles easily, leaning over their shared desk and peering over their work lazily. "I'm just doing my rounds in the executive offices, seeing if everyone's having fun at work, and I thought that I'd drop by to see how the transfer of duties is going between you two!"

It isn't uncommon for Secretary Takami to do rounds like this. He's known to fly from one place to another, scouting everything and managing to find problems before they even begin. He's called Hawks for this very reason.

Ochako knows that she and Camie are doing well-she's written as much in her progress report to the secretarial office-but something about the sharp look in Takami's eyes makes her sweat. "We're doing well! Director Todoroki does not have any major complaints with how Utsushimi-san handles her share of the responsibilities so far."

"Awesome, awesome~ I'll wait for your next progress report then, Uraraka-chan." He hums a little song, eyes darting all over their desk before he sees Ochako's desktop and goes, "Ooh, Villain Stans, huh?"

"LoV LoVers," Camie confirms, just as Ochako says, "Oh, we're trying to get them for the art center opening, sir."

For the briefest of moments, the easy smile on Hawks' face drops. There's a second of confusion, as if something happened not according to plan. With an oddly careful tone, he asks, "Really? Uh, did Shouto approve of this?"

Ochako regards him just as carefully. "He let me have free reign over this event, sir. We just want to give the general public a good reason to visit."

He hums again, the tone lilting and ending on a curious note. "Well, I guess you can't get more general public than the LoV, eh? Mysterious, kinda dodgy… but, pretty popular~"

Concerned, Ochako stares at him. "Sir… do you approve of this? Your office has the final say, after all..."

Takami snaps out of his doubtful stare in a split-second. "Weeeeell if you really want my opinion! It's an awesome idea! I'm a Villain Stan myself~ I think the girl with the Slurp Mask is really cute, and Twice looks like he can be my best buddy. But I like their lyricist the most. I've been following his work for a while, and, _mmh _."

He taps one hand against his chest dramatically. "All those… _words _. He just gets it."

Camie squeals excitedly. "You're talkin' bout Dabi, right, right? Gosh, I got it _so _bad for that guy! He's always got that skeevy allergy mask and hoodie thing goin' on but I'm sure he's like, super hot, 'cause he talks so sexy, right?"

"Yeah? Super hot's one way to put it, I guess!" Takami says with an odd laugh. "They're _super private _though. You figure out how to get them to say yes yet?"

Ochako breathes a sigh of relief. She thought Secretary Takami was about to talk her out of her idea. Well, she had a back-up plan-to invite Bakugou-kun to speak about his new book, _Fuck Your Morals, _but she doesn't think it's a good idea to put him and the Director in the same room after what happened before. The League of Villains is the best choice she has for now.

"I was able to contact the only reporter in Japan who got a published interview with Shigaraki-san-Chitose Kizuki from Curious Media_ . _I'll get her to connect us with the band."

"Chitose, huh?" Takami drawls, amused. "That's the one who likes writing gossip about the Todorokis, Shouto's failed relationships especially. She isn't gonna give you an easy time, you know that right?"

Ochako nods.

Takami looks at her expectantly. "And you're not gonna give her an easy time either, huh."

Ochako nods serenely. "We'll give her a chance to repent for putting the Director in such a bad light. I'm gonna make sure of it~"

Despite Camie's _ooh _of surprise, Ochako maintains her calm smile. Takami applauds proudly. "That's our girl! The Demon Director's Guardian Angel, indeed! Give 'em hell, Uraraka-chan!"

With that, Takami leaves with a wave of a hand. Trying to ignore the alarm bells in her head from that weird-as-hell interaction, Ochako gets back to work.

* * *

Ochako and Camie manage to meet Chitose after work hours at a cafe nearby.

Much to their surprise, the reporter meets them at their secluded booth accompanied by somebody else. "Chitose Kizuki," she greets them with a polished smile. "You must be Uraraka-san and Utsushimi-san from Endeavor, Inc. Lovely evening to you both."

"Nice to meet you," Ochako says, taking her hand. She regards the other person in the booth with polite surprise. "I didn't know you were bringing someone else to the meeting, Chitose-san."

The other person-a blonde woman with golden eyes and a feline smile-regards her and Camie with an almost manic amusement. Chitose laughs and bids them to sit. "I apologize! I brought her with me to make our negotiations easier. This is Toga Himiko-san, an… _associate _of mine."

"Hi! Ochako-chan, Camie-chan!" The blonde instantly leaps from their side of the table to give audible kisses at their cheeks before either of them can say anything about it. "Oh my gosh, you two are _sooo pretty. _I think I love you already~!"

There's something off-putting about the way she bares her teeth at them-her incisors look _sharp, _Ochako notices-but Camie doesn't seem to mind. "You're real hot yourself~ that sweater? That skirt, with the long socks? You're doing this cafe a favor by rockin' that~"

Ochako is in absolute disbelief hearing Camie's flirty lines, but Toga positively _keens _at that. "I love them, Curious-san! I love them! Give 'em Kurogiri-chan's email _right now! _"

So this Toga knows Kurogiri, the just-as-mysterious manager who scouted for the members of the band on behalf of All for One Records? Chitose might not be joking when she said that she can make the negotiations easier.

Chitose puts a finger to her lips and winks at Toga. "Now now, we can't make it _that _easy for them, Toga-san. These sorts of things are give-and-take~ seeing as they work directly under Todoroki Shouto, I think they have a lot to give us, right?

"This chick is a hard-ass," Camie mumbles beside Ochako. Well, she expected as much.

"Besides, as Kurogiri-san told me, it's not him they have to convince, but someone else in the band. But they have to go through me first." With that, Chitose places a tape recorder between them and gives them another media-friendly smile. "Now, ladies, you came here with a goal, like me. I'm sure we have a lot of help to offer to each other, wouldn't you agree?"

Ochako returns her smile coolly. "You're right, Chitose-san! It looks like we went to the right person to get in touch with the League! I don't know about your 'goals' though. Care to enlighten us?"

The reporter taps her finger against her chin coyly. There's only one thing that she wants out of the two of them, and Ochako hates that she's pretending to think about it.

"I know you're not stupid, and I know you're a busy woman, Uraraka-san." She pushes the recorder closer to their side of the table with a cloying smile. "So, if you tell me something worthwhile, I'll give you exactly what you need."

In other words, dirt on the Todorokis, especially the Director. Preferably something about his sudden, quiet break-up with Yaomomo. All of these tabloid writers are the same.

Camie glances at Ochako subtly, looking unsure. But Ochako doesn't falter when she leans down over the recorder, keeping her eyes on Chitose: "Here's something for you, Curious-san. About Todoroki Shouto."

Chitose's eyes brighten up instantly at the mention of the name… and then instantly die when Ochako continues. "More specifically, that article you wrote heavily implicating a relationship between him and Executive Yoarashi from Reppu. Remember that?"

A slight twitch under her eye. "Hm, did I write that one? I can't recall—"

Ochako whips out her phone, showing the incriminating article at hand. "Don't worry, I have a good memory. The internet does too. I've got all the screenshots to remember this article by. It's one of my favorites, after all!"

Camie makes an impressed, mocking _oo _sound. "Oh, yeah, I totes remember that article too~ It's real mean that you put my cute _kohai _Inasa on the map like that. Yanno, Inatodo almost became a real hashtag after you published that, Cheeto-san."

"It's a great article, right, Camie? I'm glad you remember it too!" Ochako giggles for effect, then moves in for the attack. "I mean, on the surface it's not a big deal. Director Todoroki's always rumored to be dating this person or that person, but… this article in particular is really _harsh. _You put in a lot of _racy _details involving motels and a lot of… _strong _opinions about Director Todoroki's sex life? You even said something about how Chairman Todoroki should think twice about his heir just because his son could be sleeping with a man! Why, they're practically bordering on _homophobic _."

Another twitch in her eye, and a smile that almost looks like a snarl. They're getting somewhere.

Ochako smiles at her serenely. "You're lucky that your website wasn't as popular during that time, Chitose-san. All you needed to do was delete that article and tweet an apology and write other things to make your audience look the other way. We didn't bother fixing anything during the time because it didn't make as big an impact as you thought, but… maybe now's the time to do that, huh? Camie-san, I'm not as good in legal stuff as you, but there's this thing, um…"

"Bad taste, babes. And _libel _," Camie says, pointing finger-guns at Chitose, who was sweating. Toga inexplicably squeals in glee at the display. "It can be prosecuted criminally~ ya, I ain't makin' that up, Cheeto!"

"Ooh, Chitose-san, you're screwed," Toga says. She seems to be enjoying herself, watching the confident woman's face fall in so many different ways. "Give up, already! I told you, it's okay to give 'em Kurogiri's email!"

Chitose not-so-subtly clicks her tongue, but grabs her recorder back and stops it with a loud click. She takes a moment to school her features before smiling coldly at Ochako's direction. "W-well… since they asked so nicely, I might just give them Kurogiri-san's email, after all. Just as a special favor to them, woman to woman—"

"Thank you," Ochako says sweetly, "but you said that we have to convince someone else before the band agrees?"

Despite her defeat, Chitose's eyes gleam mischievously. "I could give you that person's email if you allow me to come to all the private events of the art gallery opening. I must warn you that it won't be easy talking to him. He'll probably give you a harder time than I have."

Ochako frowns. "_ One _private event, Chitose-san. And I'll take my chances with him."

Chitose doesn't argue further. She takes out a small notebook, scribbles something hastily on it, tears out a page and gives this to Ochako. All while Toga looks over her shoulder with manic interest. "Ooh, is _he _the one you meant, Chitose-san? Why would he give Ochako-chan and Camie-chan a hard time?"

"Simply because they work for Endeavor, Toga-san," Chitose sneers. "I'd be careful about introducing myself to him, dearies. I wish you the best of luck~"

With that, Chitose leaves the booth in a huff. Toga follows her with a chuckle, but she stops to kiss Ochako and Camie, one after the other, before either of them can do anything about it.

"Don't worry! Even if that dumb guy says no, the League's still gonna show up to your event, Ochako-chan," Toga says with a dangerous sparkle in her eyes. "Just make sure you and Camie-chan are there all the time, okay? I'm gonna look for you~!"

Ochako is seriously creeped out, but she manages a nod. "Thank you, Toga-san. We'll see you then!"

The girl leaves with a wave. Ochako notices that she's stolen a butter knife from the cafe, but chooses not to say anything about it.

"Gosh, that girl's a cutie-pie, isn't she? Cute enough to kill you in your sleep, maybe, but I can dig it." Camie looks at the paper in Ochako's hand. "That lady tho? Bad vibes all over. I hope she didn't give you a bogus email or anything."

"She has more to lose than us, to be honest." It'll be bad if it's a bogus email, though. They'll be back to square one.

She opens the paper and carefully copies the email address onto her contacts: _dabi afo . org._

* * *

**AN: **Okay, I'm not too thrilled about how I cut this chapter like this, but the next couple of scenes are pretty long and important so I decided to arrange them like this! This chapter was a struggle and a half but in the end I think I put all the important details on here!

Finally Shouto gets a clue, and Ochako's also kinda getting a clue! But are things gonna be easy between them? Of course not! T_T well, at least I hope not. There are lots of other things that have to happen so there!

Again, thank you for your patience, kudos, comments, favs/follows and lovely reactions! ILU all 3


	10. What You Do To Me

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 10: What You Do To Me  
**

* * *

"Baku-bro? Earth to Baku-bro? Can you hear me?"

Someone's stupid hand waves too close to Katsuki's personal bubble. Blinking himself angrily out of his reverie, he directs his glare to the owner of the hand. "The fuck are you doing, Shitty-Hair?"

Kirishima blinks. "Dude, you okay? That was weak!"

It's 1 AM and they're sitting on Soy-Sauce-Face's fancy Southeast Asian rugs, surrounded by open cans of beer and bowls of expensive organic kale chips and carrot sticks. Katsuki's tired and cranky, yet here he is persevering with his pretentious homebrew for his shitty friends.

They were making fun of Pikashit for being so shitty at Mario Kart before he tuned them all out, but now all of the chucklefucks are staring at him like he's a dying man on his sick bed.

Kaminari's the only one who doesn't look worried. He wiggles his stupid short brows knowingly. "Dare I say that Bakugou looks… tender? Gentle? Lovestruck? He's been like that for the past coupla days~"

Katsuki moves to shove him in the face. Kirishima holds him back at the last minute, like always. The redhead stares at him incredulously as he does, though. "You didn't even _try _to kill him, bro! Kami, I think you're onto something!"

"Well _duh _of course Kami's onto something!" Ashido declares, her annoying drunken squeal grating on all of Katsuki's nerves. "You _know _he's thinking about Ochako-chan right now! Am I right, or am I right, Explodey-face?!"

He twitches violently as the others in the squad whoop at him suggestively. "You shits are really askin' for it, huh?!"

"Oh _shit _he isn't denying it!" Sero says with a shit-eating grin, "Our boy's in-love, what the fuck?!"

Jesus Christ, how noisy can these dipshits get?! If the neighbors complain, he'll be the first to offer to call the cops on these noisy freaks.

The only one who isn't screaming is Jirou, who's covering her sensitive ears from Kaminari and Ashido's banshee-like screeching from either side of her. "Fuckin' hell guys, I know it's a miracle that this piece of shit finally had a date that didn't end in a brawl, but scream at him, not me!"

Katsuki almost glared at Jirou because she's inaccurate as fuck-most of his dates actually ended with someone throwing some sorta drink at his face for being a bastard-but then he remembers that this date _actually almost _ended in a brawl. He clicks his tongue instead.

Kirishima sniffles dramatically and drunkenly drapes himself over Katsuki's shoulders. "My pal… my best bro… I thought I'd never see the day! We knew that you and Uraraka would get along, but who'da thought it'd work this well?!"

"It's been one fuckin' date, Christ."

Kaminari smiles at him slyly. "But look at you, being so pensive and cute even when Jirou and I try to get your attention for work~ so smitten!"

He snaps his teeth at the blonde, who takes cover behind the annoyed Jirou. Meanwhile, Sero chuckles in the background with no obvious intentions to help him out. "You wouldn't think so dude, but I was _there. _This is the first time I've seen Bakugou sit his ass down and listen to someone without biting their head off-"

"-for real?!"

"He even asked her if she was doing okay. _Twice. _"

Katsuki flinches as the idiots scream all around again. "Oh man, Bakugou-fuckin'-Katsuki being concerned about another person's welfare! The end is nigh, my friends!"

Kirishima sways his arms all over trying to get them to shut up. "Hey, you're being unfair to Baku-bro! He's good! Totally manly! Uraraka wouldn't have stayed for so long if he wasn't!"

Kaminari makes an impressed sound. "That so? I was gonna ask Sero if she looked like she was just being held hostage by Bakugou, but-"

Katsuki almost brained the dunce right there and then for even suggesting that he'd do a shitty thing like that to _anyone, _but Raccoon-Eyes beats him to it. "Oi, Ochako-chan ain't a weakling, 'kay? My girl survived 9 years working for Todoroki Shouto, you _know _she isn't just gonna take anyone's shit, even if it was Bakugou!"

Of course someone's eventually gonna bring up that stupid half-and-half bastard. Katsuki's mood sours at the mention of the name, and it probably shows because the rest of the room practically spurts out their drinks after looking at his face.

"Oh shit, our boy's jealous!" Kaminari giggles, like he just won the lottery of stupid_ . _"What am I talking about, of course you're jealous, Bakugou. Guy's richer, prettier, _taller _-"

He snarls at _taller _and the room bursts out laughing again. "Who the fuck is jealous, you pieces of shit?!"

Kirishima cuts him off after catching his breath. "You, because he's her number one priority! But she's quitting after our big project, so don't worry bro! Oh shit, Mina, speaking of, we're not gonna have weekends off until the art center is done! We gotta drink all the beers Sero has in his fridge, now!"

Sero frowns. "Come on guys, can you _not _-"

"Shit you're riiiight!" Ashido screeches, making Katsuki grit his teeth so hard his tooth almost snaps. Kirishima dumps all the beer Sero has in their vicinity as the girl continues on in her temper tantrum. "Directoroki's such a _demon! _Is all this worth it to see Yaomomo in the flesh?! No wonder she broke up with him! I'm so happy for her because he's a demooon!"

Katsuki's ears twitch.

Sero sighs as he watches Ashido and Kirishima chug his stocks of beer without remorse. "I dunno, but the rest of us saw it coming, dude. Even if it's Yaomomo, your boss is never gonna date anyone for long."

"I know right?" Kaminari asks conspiratorially. "And here I thought they were sweethearts in college? The heck happened?"

Always up for juicy gossip, Ashido gulps the last of her beer loudly and looks at them like she knows everything there is to know about this scandal. "Not even college, Kami-boy! Those two actually knew each other since they were _kids! _Apparently, Chairman Todoroki and the head of the Yaoyorozus have been setting them up since _forever! _They're good family friends, see?"

Kaminari gasps dramatically. "But she never said that in her interview with Present Mic! I memorized her exclusive interview word-for-word, you know!"

Ashido flushes proudly. "What can I say? I got _sources. _One of the few perks for workin' for the Demon Director~"

"Noice! So Todomomo was gonna be an arranged marriage? That's _juicy! _"

"Yah-huh! You know how it is with high society-Todorokis, Yaoyorozus, Shishidas, Yoarashis, all the old rich always trynna get married to each other for generations! I heard that if Yaomomo didn't transfer from UA to Juilliard, they might have been hitched right after uni!"

Katsuki's fingers begin to drum against his armrest. Jirou and Kaminari's eyes flicker to his.

Ashido, still oblivious to everything, sighs wistfully. "But she abandoned the family business for her passions... and now she's making one blockbuster after another! She is literally goals, she's too good for Directoroki!"

Raising his eyebrows at Katsuki subtly, Kaminari continues, "Yaomomo's a literal goddess, that's for sure! So why would Directoroki just break that up? I get that it's arranged but if it were me, I'd cling to her and never ever let go even if she kicks me in the face~"

"Yuck, dude, don't be a Mineta-" Sero mutters from the side, while Ashido cries at the same time, "Exactly! I mean they were just together and then they're not?! I bet it's Directoroki's fault! All he thinks about is work!"

Kirishima shakes his head. "Yeah, I love Directoroki, but I don't know what's up with him 80% of the time! It's been years but I feel like we don't know him as much as we should, right?"

Ashido sighs dramatically. "Right! I bet he did that to piss off the Chairman! I mean he always wants to piss off the Chairman, but dang, can anyone really let go of Yaomomo just to piss off the Chairman?!"

Katsuki's heard enough. "Fuckin' boring. I'm going out for a smoke," he gruffs out.

Kaminari leads the rest of the room in whining about Katsuki never having anything good to say despite being a fuckin' reporter. Jirou, however, stands up next to him. "I'll go with you."

"You gonna bum cigs off of me again, Ears?"

"Of course. Thank you for offering," she says coolly, leading the way out of Sero's apartment.

Once they make it out on the porch, Katsuki fishes out his pack of Lucky Strikes and offers one to Jirou, who takes one and lets him light it up for her.

After a few quiet puffs of smoke, Jirou mumbles, "So we're still doing this?"

Katsuki grunts, a neither here-nor-there sound.

"And you still aren't gonna tell us why you're interested in digging up twenty-year-old dirt on one of the most powerful families in all of fuckin' Japan?"

"Twenty-four," Katsuki quips with another drag.

When it was clear that he isn't gonna say anything more about that, Jirou scowls. "Dude, I get that the cold case Inspector Tsukauchi showed you sounded juicy, but that's all that is-a cold case. We don't know if the other Todorokis are really involved, or if it even matters. I don't see what good we're gonna get out of investigating this."

"The fuck?! We're gonna find out the truth, aren't we?" Katsuki growls under his breath. "That's always been what we're doing from the start, Ears."

She glares at him coldly. "You're risking not just your stupid ass, but me and Kaminari's too. Plus, Kirishima and Mina might lose their jobs over this. That secretary you're dating might get fired too."

"Uraraka's quitting. Shitty-Hair and Raccoon Eyes can get better jobs. And as far as I know, Dunce-face ain't complaining as much as you."

Jirou rolls her eyes. "That boy has no sense of self-preservation. You two are bastards for using Kirimina like this, by the way. Aren't you even gonna tell them about your hare-brained plan?!"

Katsuki clicks his tongue harshly. "What, so they can accidentally blabber about what we're doing to that Half-and-Half bastard? You know that's an easier way for the Todorokis to screw us over, right?!"

She shrugs. "What can I say, I like treating my best friends decently, even at the risk of my own neck."

Katsuki will never say it out loud, but Jirou always makes a shit ton of sense. She had talked him out of things that are too risky and ended up saving his ass a couple of times when he got too reckless with people who could have seriously fucked his career up. Kaminari too-that bastard might be good at acting like he's an idiot, but that's all it is, an act. There's a reason why he chose to work with these two since graduating from UA Journalism years ago.

But he isn't listening to her tonight. This story, the fuckin' Todorokis-he's got no evidence, but his instincts tell him that it's more than just an arson case. Todoroki Enji's hiding more crimes, he can feel it.

Besides, he promised Uraraka he'd know the guy who did it the next time he calls her. Bakugou Katsuki may not be some tall dreamy boy heir with manners, but he's at least a man of his word.

Jirou inhales a satisfying long drag out of her cig and mutters, "Whatever, you're the one with the sharp instincts. I won't be happy about it, but I got your back."

"Good." So she's still on board. He's gonna need her for the next part of their investigation.

"We're goin' after Yaoyorozu next."

Jirou hacks violently, as if she accidentally inhaled the cigarette butt into her lungs.

"The f-you told me we were gonna get Midoriya next!" she sputters in disbelief. "You know, your convenient childhood friend who trusts you who just happens to be best friends with Todoroki fuckin' Shouto?! Why the hell are we not getting information from him first?!"

Katsuki sees red just remembering that simpering nerd crying over him and that icyhot bastard almost killing each other on the street. "Because he's sharp, is why. And he's also working for them. If that stupid fucking nerd notices that we're digging up dirt on the fuckin' Todorokis, whose side do you think he's gonna be on?"

Jirou grits her teeth. "Kirimina also works for them!"

"Yeah, well they're _not _sharp."

Jirou almost argues again, but concedes this point, as she should. She moves on instead to her next complaint. "But why Yaomomo?"

"Haven't you been listening to Raccoon-Eyes?! She knew Icyhot since they were kids. She's bound to know more than shitty fuckin' Deku."

Besides, if Ashido's rambles are accurate, it almost sounds like she went to Juilliard to spite her old man. It's just a gut feel, but Katsuki thinks he can get this woman's cooperation, no problem.

Jirou is not done glaring at him. "Apart from the problem of getting her involved where she shouldn't be, you seriously think that she's gonna talk to an ass like you?"

Somehow Katsuki thinks that this Yaoyorozu chick isn't uninvolved. But that's for a later time. Anyway, "Good fuckin' news then. You're the one who's gonna talk to her, not me."

She suddenly looks panicked. "Wha-me?! Boss, we were friends for _one sem _before she left for Juilliard! She isn't gonna remember who I am!"

And yet this chick stares lovingly at her one selfie with Yaoyorozu circa 2007 like it's a fucking family heirloom. Pathetic.

Jirou, as if reading his mind, shoves him in irritation. "Smug bastard, _you _talk to her! You're the one on equal footing with her! You've got a show, a fanbase, and a fucking book!"

Katsuki glares at her incredulously. "You just told me that she wouldn't talk to an ass like me! And what's this about not being on equal footing with her? She isn't a fucking goddess-"

"She is _literally _The Goddess of Creation, Bakugou-"

"-a movie! The fuck," Katsuki grits out. He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. "You know what, forget it. I don't give a fuck if you're too fng chicken to talk to Yaoyorozu, fine! But you better find a way for me to get her alone without her crappy entourage hanging around us, got that Ears?!"

Jirou sighs in frustration. "Yeah, whatever. I know most of the crew that she's working with, wouldn't be a problem. But Bakugou, if you do anything stupid to her I swear-"

"Whatever. You'll just go off in another bi panic again. Scaredy-bitch," Katsuki grumbles through his cig.

He gets a juicy punch to the shoulder for that remark, but no other complaints. Looking over to her, he sees that she's silently, if not begrudgingly, accepting that they're really fucking with the Todorokis. And possibly the Yaoyorozus too.

_Holy shit, _Katsuki thinks for the umpteenth time. Jirou has a similar look on her usually dead triangle eyes.

They finish up their cigarettes in irritated silence before they go back inside and pretend that everything's just peachy.

* * *

The Office of the Executive Director and a handful of executives meet at the Flameon Art Center to see if the construction is doing as well as reported.

It was, but it wasn't good enough. Ochako has a lot of conversations with the logistics team, the engineers and the other staff. Director Todoroki has even more to say to the other executives who meet them there. By the end of their excursion everyone looks drained and overwhelmed, but determined to do their best.

"Don't get me wrong, that boy works us like a demon, but… he's really going to change the company for good once he's CEO," she hears one of the older executives mutter to the others, who agree.

A little thrill of pride flutters in Ochako's chest.

Now all that's left are updates with the other offices. Iida, Kirishima, and Mina meet up with Chief Midoriya and Tsuyu-chan, while Camie and Monoma meet up with the General Affairs guys. Luckily nobody made a big deal out of Shinsou saying hi and asking Ochako how she's doing, although she felt Monoma glaring daggers at the back of her neck when she returns the favor.

Todoroki also watched the exchange like he wasn't happy, but he only respectfully acknowledged Shinsou when he bowed. She wonders if he's going to let Shinsou transfer in from General Affairs like this. So far he looks like he has what it takes to keep up with the Director's whims, but the Director is famously prickly with having to interact with anybody new-

"Set-up a meeting for Shinsou's transfer next week," he tells her as soon as everybody else is out of earshot.

Ochako looks up at him with wide eyes. "You're really giving Shinsou-kun a chance?"

Todoroki looks at her curiously. "Do you think we shouldn't?"

She shakes her head. "We should! I'm just surprised that you're okay with this. You've never accepted a transfer before."

"He seems competent, unlike the others who have attempted before," Todoroki answers easily. "Besides, he gets along with the others. You, especially."

While there isn't anything wrong with what he just said, Ochako can't help but be suspicious of the weird glint in his eye. He's been unpredictable, and she has to be careful for both their sakes. "Got it."

He says nothing more and leads the way to the west wing, where one of the biggest events are going to be held.

If there's one thing they have to execute perfectly, it's the opening of the Yaoyorozu Gallery. Both the Chairman and Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, the head of the Yaoyorozu Group and an infamous perfectionist, are going to descend upon them if they let even a minor error happen during their event.

Even without the added strain caused by the Director's break-up with Yaoyorozu Momo, the pressure is huge. Now, it's _unbearable _. Regardless, he and Ochako have to concentrate on nothing but meeting their expectations.

They set to work ironing out all the details-the art pieces, the room arrangement, the installations, the lights, the ceiling, the roof, the windows, the tiles, the plumbing-_ everything. _Director Todoroki doesn't let anything slip under his radar. It feels like overkill at the start but soon it's apparent that there are still things that needed fixing, the biggest one being the power supply.

"We'll do our best to fix it by tonight, Director," one of the overwhelmed managers says with an embarrassed bow.

"Thank you. Please see to it before we leave," Todoroki says before dismissing everyone else. He glances at his wristwatch and mutters, "It's 7 PM."

Ochako nods. "Looks like we finished earlier than expected, Director. The others aren't done with their meetings yet," she answers after checking her phone.

He rubs his forehead and breathes out quietly. He always tries to look composed in front of others, but Ochako knows by now when he's tired and just pretending not to be. "If you want, you can go ahead. I'll take care of the power supply issue by myself."

Todoroki frowns. "I'm leading this project, so I have to confirm this by myself. Besides, you're just as tired as I am, Uraraka. I should order _you _to go home to rest."

She looks at him in surprise. He's never sent her home before him, unless it's related to Victoria, who's doing fine as far as she knows. Putting her hands against her cheeks, she asks, "Do I look sick? I feel okay, if that's what you're worried about-"

"No, you look good as always."

Leave it to him to say something like that without flinching. Ochako's face suddenly stings with heat.

"... not sick, I mean," he mutters after a beat, eyes suddenly looking away from hers at around the same time she does. "If you're fine, let's go through the areas that we didn't get a chance to see up close today."

He turns away, suddenly walking faster than usual. Flustered, Ochako catches up to him.

Apart from art displays and theaters, the art center also had a library. The area will be closed during the opening, so they didn't scrutinize this area as much as the others.

It looks like they were able to transport the regular books today. Unfortunately, the first book that the Director picks out from a random shelf is a certain something in screaming orange.

"People read this?" he asks, wrinkling his nose at Bakugou Katsuki's _Fuck Your Morals _in distaste.

Ochako giggles, albeit awkwardly. "It's actually pretty exciting! There's a reason why it's a bestseller, Director."

"Not tonight," he mutters with a frown and shoves the book back on the shelf. Judging by the look on his face, Ochako guesses that he isn't gonna pick up the book any other night, either.

He _really doesn't like him, _doesn't he? Too bad Bakugou's already on the guest list for all of the private events. Ochako shouldn't remind him of that right now; with any luck, they wouldn't need to be within fifty feet of each other on the day itself.

"It's great that we have all of these titles here," she says lightly, to change the subject. "Gosh, we even have a YA collection and graphic novels?! This is pretty neat!"

Todoroki nods. "It'd be impolite to invite Fukidashi Manga if we didn't have his works on display." He watches thoughtfully as she runs her fingers along the colorful spines of the books before he asks, "Are those the sorts of books you like to read, Secretary Uraraka?"

Ochako shrugs. "I have ordinary tastes. Harry Potter, Moomins… classic _shoujo _manga like Sailor Moon and Skip Beat… I'm not good with heavy reading."

"So you didn't enjoy the books I gave you before?" Todoroki asks.

Has Director Todoroki ever given her novels before? Did he even know that she read in her spare time?

When she gives him a questioning look, he says, "You don't remember? Secretary Uraraka, I gave those to you as a _gift. _"

Ochako, in a panic, reviews all the things that Director Todoroki has ever given her for any reason. He'd only ever given her functional things like pens, organizers... There was one year where he'd given her an expensive Aoyama Yuuga dress, but only because she wore her favorite work outfit so many times that people had asked her if she was wearing a uniform.

Oh, unless he means _those. _"Director… do you mean the English, Mandarin, and Korean textbooks that you made me study during my first couple of years working for you?"

He nods with an amused smile. So he was just teasing her, after all! She puffs her cheeks and turns away with an offended _harrumph. _"Of course I didn't enjoy those, Director! You didn't give me an easy time with them or anything!"

He was so hard on her back then! He wouldn't talk to her in Japanese for days at a time! Just remembering the time he made her order at a Starbucks in their first US business trip made her blood pressure go up!

"There are more language books here, if you're interested." Unfortunately it isn't clear if he's still teasing, or if he's actually serious about this. "Let's see, French is something you can handle-"

Oh god he's actually taking out the _Speak French in 6 Weeks! _Instruction book. Ochako squeaks in protest. "Director, stop, are you serious?! Please don't get any more ideas-"

"_ Détendez-vous, mademoiselle _Uraraka." His voice is _smooth _and goes into the wrong side of her brain, making her blush. Why did he have to sound so good speaking French?! As if he wasn't making it hard enough for her to reach that darn book from his hands-

Without warning, the lights shut off all around them with a sound. Ochako actually loses her footing in the shock that follows, her ankle painfully bending inwards and making her collapse.

She thought they'd crash together, but he catches her, arms flying around her and keeping her upright. She lands with a gasp against his chest.

There's a disorienting moment where Ochako's worried that she's suddenly deaf and blind. Apart from seeing nothing because of the blackout, there's a moment where she hears nothing but the erratic _thud-thud-thud _of someone's heart-whether it's hers or the Director's is anyone's guess, but it's loud and fast and overwhelming and for a moment, Ochako feels _lost. _

"Uraraka," he calls out above the sudden frantic noise in her head. "Are you alright?"

Despite her body wanting desperately to stay still, she nods.

He hums-from this distance, the sound of it reverberates from his chest right into her ear. She's suddenly concerned about overheating. "You don't seem alright," he says worriedly.

"I am. The blackout just surprised me. Um-"

She's lucky that it's so dark, because at least he wouldn't see how red her face must be, and at least she wouldn't see whatever expression's on his face by now. Not that she would be able to see, because he's _way too close _, and she knows that she doesn't have the courage to look up into his eyes to see.

They've never been this physically close before. Is it absurd to ask herself _why not _, when they've known each other for nine whole years?

She clears her throat. "Director-thank you for catching me, but I can stand now."

"Ah."

After another beat, he carefully (... reluctantly?) releases her. He steps back carefully, as if just realizing how invasive he must have been.

An awkward pause later, he says, "They must be fixing the power supply problem. Uraraka, call the staff for an update."

Ochako nods, shaking off the excited tremble in her hands as she fishes out her phone. She makes a small sound of frustration, though, as she sees the screen. "We don't have a phone signal down here, sir."

Todoroki huffs. "Alright. Let's move out."

Unfortunately the entrance doors are locked electronically and won't budge no matter what they do. The fire exits are locked from the other side, and no matter how downright displeased the Director is for the potential hazard, there's nothing either of them can do at that moment.

It becomes clear that all they can do is to wait for the engineers to finish working. And for Ochako, she just has to accept the cheap shoujo manga plot that her life has become.

_Really-literally falling all over Todoroki Shouto, and then getting trapped in the dark alone with him. Who the heck is writing this story?! _

Todoroki is also visibly bothered, but remains calm. "We'll stay put for an hour maximum. If they don't resolve this, we're breaking down the glass door with the furniture here. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

Now, the next thing they have to do is simple, but difficult: kill time. The Director leads them through the dark library with only his phone's flashlight lighting the way. For safety's sake he doesn't take them far from the exits, and so they end up in the classical literature section.

Even though it's dark, Ochako doesn't miss the way his eyes light up looking at the titles. "We were able to get everything on your list, Director," she tells him proudly. "Are these the kinda books you like to read?"

He nods, letting his long fingers touch the spines with a sort of reverence. "Yes… I wasn't allowed to play as much, but I was allowed to read as many books as I liked."

A twinge in Ochako's chest-he _did _mention that the Chairman has been harsh on him ever since he was young. "Which one's your favorite?"

He considers this seriously. "I disliked the things that Enji wanted me to read, and enjoyed everything that my mother read to me. I don't have a favorite, I think."

His mother-_ Todoroki Rei. _White hands, white hair. Now that she thinks of it, there were books where the woman lived-a small shelf in the left side of the apartment, the threads of the hard covers all frayed and worn-

"I see," Ochako says, wishing that her voice doesn't sound so strained. "But there has to be a book that the two of you read over and over."

Just as she says so, his finger stops at one of the thinner spines on the shelf.

"Maybe," Director Todoroki says. He slowly pulls the title in between the other thick books. "She enjoyed reading this one for me."

_The Little Prince. _There's a certain reverence in his eyes when he looks at the illustration at the front of the book. It figures that a literal prince like Todoroki Shouto would have enjoyed the book, although she can only imagine how precious those moments were between him and his mother.

"Which part is the best part?" Ochako asks, keeping her smile gentle.

It's clear that he's unsure of sharing at first-anytime that he has to talk about his past, he gets all quiet and skittish, like a stray cat making its mind up about you-but to her surprise, Todoroki relents.

He flips through the pages, letting Ochako hold the light for them until he finds what he's looking for. "This one. This is our favorite part of the book."

The illustrations show the little prince and the fox. Ochako has some vague memories of the story, but it's been a while since she's read it in high school. She can't quite recall what happens. "What happens there?"

Todoroki answers, "It's when the Little Prince meets the Fox, who asks him to tame him."

He gestures for her to come closer so she can watch his long fingers trace the lines written in English along the glossy paper. His odd eyes glow, warm even under the harsh brightness of the phone. His mouth moves as he reads the lines, in a voice that quiets her heart:

_"But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others…" _

A nameless sensation overcomes her as he speaks. Something that makes her heart feel light and heavy at the same time, echoing loudly in her head but quieting the noise around her. It makes her hold her breath. It makes her want to hold her heart to keep it still.

This is new, she thinks, but then she corrects herself-no, this overwhelming feeling that leaves her breathless isn't new at all. She must have been holding onto this for a while. She feels a lot of things about the Director for the past nine years-annoyance, a sense of loyalty, even fondness on a good day, and… _this _.

_"... the grain, which is golden like your hair will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat… _"

The realization is a little frightening. She should be focusing on the words and their meaning-the beauty of the words don't escape her, even though they're in English-but all she's hearing, all she's seeing is _him. _

The Director pauses at the end of the line, a small sad smile on his lips. "Here, I'd tell my mother that her hair doesn't look like wheat. But it does have the same color as white rice. And plenty of other white things that I see everywhere… paper. Milk. Linen. Snow. Hospitals…"

His finger lifts itself from the pages, his gaze suddenly far away.

"It's impossible to forget her," he says. Slowly, numbly, indecisively, he lifts the covers shut.

Ochako swallows quietly, building up her courage to ask, "How is she?"

He shakes his head. "I wouldn't know," is all he says after a stretch of silence.

She doesn't have to hear his thoughts to be able to read them: _maybe it's a mistake to bring her up. _He's quiet when he stands up from the desk to put the book back on the shelf, gripping for the gap in the dark.

Following him with the light, Ochako bites her lip in thought. Spending the rest of the time with the Director being quiet isn't new, but he looks like he's suffocating in it.

There's an urge to break the silence. Before she can think better of it, Ochako practically blurts out, "Well… I mean, not that we're in a similar situation or anything, but… do you wanna know what I think when I see _your _hair?"

Todoroki turns to her. It's obvious that he's caught off-guard about her attempt at another conversation, but he's more surprised than offended. There's even a hint of amusement when he finally asks, after a stretch of silence: "Interesting. What do I remind you of?"

She grins. "Promise not to laugh? I'm not a writer or anything, it's gonna sound ridiculous!"

Obviously, that just makes the Director more curious. He gestures for her to go on with a tilt of the head, and-gosh, she can't believe she's about to say something so stupid, she presses her fingers against her temples in embarrassment, but-

"... Strawberry mochi?"

Todoroki raises his eyebrows so high up they almost reach his hairline. "Strawberry mochi," he repeats, peering at some strands of hair over his forehead. "Are you sure you're not just hungry, Secretary Uraraka?"

Ochako huffs in offense. "Red and white? Strawberries, red bean and mochi? Why are you saying it like it doesn't make sense? Geez, Director!"

"It's been seven hours since lunch, and we're trapped in the dark. I hope you aren't planning to eat me in a fit of hunger-induced hallucination."

"What?! Wh-what do you think of me, a glutton?! A cannibal?! Take that back, Director!"

She bats him on the arm playfully with both fists repeatedly, and he catches her wrists in his hands to stop her shakily as he chuckles softly at her attempts. The darkness ebbs in her mind when she hears the sound of it, when she realizes that she's slipped into this weird comfortable space where she can hit his arm the way she hits Iida or Monoma or Kirishima when they say something particularly ridiculous.

It's all teasing and playful banter that she does with friends, but… since when is she friends with Todoroki Shouto?

"I'll stop," Todoroki tells her, holding both wrists securely against his chest. "So please stop hitting me. You..."

In the errant light from the phone in her weakening grasp, her eyes fall on his, blue and grey, warm on a cold night-a different, falling feeling, in her chest-

"... don't know what you do to me," he finishes quietly. He's seeing her too, she feels it from this proximity, she feels it from the stunned grip on her wrists, the way his gaze drops to the blood rushing in her cheeks, their point of contact-the brief, indecisive beat in her heart which can't make up its mind between feeling frightened, comforted, exhilarated-

In the light-headed haze that follows, without a particular goal in mind, she feels herself leaning in closer. Much to her surprise and thrill, he quietly does the same. And-

Lights flicker above them silently, first casting a spotlight on them before they flood the library all at once. Various electronics coming back to life hum around them in unison, the noise breaking the moment before it even begins. A beep at the door and a flash of green tells them that everything's all right now, they aren't trapped anymore.

There's no reason for them to hold on to each other in this little spot of theirs in the universe. They realize it at the same time, stepping away from each other in unison. Ochako's heel hits the wood of the shelf with a sobering thud.

She can't look up at him after that strange moment, so she keeps her eyes to the books, the lights, the door, anywhere else but his stare. "So… the power's back," Ochako says, hating herself for sounding so breathless. "Um, we should go up where there's a signal."

"Right." She sees him nod at the corner of her eyes. He moves ahead of her, eyes stripped of the strange emotion they had before, making as much effort to avoid her gaze as much as she is. She doesn't know how to feel about that.

The lights flash above them _again _and actually shut off for a few seconds, the door's light flickering on and off. Her heart leaps to her throat, and leaps once more when she feels the Director's hand reach out for hers in the two seconds they spend in the dark, and then the light.

"We should make a run for it before we're locked in again," Todoroki says as the lights flicker again above their heads.

Without waiting for an answer, Ochako runs after him as he barrels through the electronic doors, down the hallway where the lights continue flickering, the flashes of light and dark nauseating and mesmerizing in a strange way. Or maybe it's the pressure of Todoroki's palm on hers, the subtle careful way he pulls on her arm as they rush through corners and stairwells, the sound of his breath, the sight of his back so close to hers-

They see the lobby at the end of the hallway. There's a mess of people in mild panic over the flickering lights, but as they step closer to them, suddenly all the lights come back on and stay on, as if nothing had happened. When it does, Todoroki's sprint slows, and they halt right before they turn the corner into the main lobby to catch their breaths.

"That was close," Ochako gasps out, leaning against the wall next to him. "But at least… the power issue's resolved now. I hope."

Todoroki huffs. "We should have a better back-up power supply if this happens again. Secretary Uraraka, remind me to take care of that problem in the morning."

"R-right," she says, moving to get her phone from her pocket with her right hand, before realizing that it's still very much ensconced in his. "Ah-"

There's a moment where all they do is stare at their point of connection-the grip _tightens, _maybe, but Ochako isn't sure if it's just her imagination that he's reluctant to let her go, or-

"T-Todoroki-kun?! I mean, Director Todoroki, there you are-"

"Ah," Todoroki says, finally regaining his senses. Ochako suddenly feels her hand cool down, like molten magma solidifying on frozen ground when he lets her go and gets a half-step away from her.

It takes her another moment to snap back into her senses and to see everyone else rushing around them-the worried Midoriya at the very forefront, followed by Tsuyu-chan and Tooru-chan, and then the rest of their office, all levels of stressed no doubt due to their meetings broken by the power interruption.

After a quick confirmation that none of them are bloodied, broken, or in anyway physically damaged, Midoriya begins to weep. "Oh my gosh, I'm glad you two are all right! We panicked when we couldn't contact you, we thought you were trapped down there! We were ready to send security out to break down all the locked doors downstairs-"

Well, they were trapped down there, but it wouldn't do to make Midoriya more panicked than he is. Todoroki thankfully seems to understand as much when he answers, "We're all right, as you can see. But we should adjourn our work for tomorrow while the power is unstable."

"Yes, Director!" Everyone answers, obviously relieved. Ochako's just as relieved as they are, but for obviously different reasons that the eagle-eyed Camie _might _be picking up on, if the way her eyes roved over the pinkness of her cheeks and the uneasy wringing of her hands is any indication. She's going to be teased relentlessly about this in the morning, and sadly, Ochako can agree that she brought it upon herself.

"Secretary Uraraka. Are you all right?"

Because she can't look at Todoroki Shouto without feeling like she's utterly, completely screwed.

She tries, anyway, hoping that her mouth isn't a ridiculous squiggly line from keeping her weirdass feelings from bursting to the surface. "Um-of course, Director. Er-I'll see you tomorrow, 5 AM sharp as always, okay? So-goodbye, goodnight-"

Darn herself for sounding so breathless, smitten-stupid. Her legs are still pretty tired from trying to keep up with him while she's wearing heels, but she wastes no time in rushing out the lobby while muttering a hurried _goodbye _to all her colleagues, ignoring all the confused glances coming her way. The cold night air hits her skin, giving her some relief from the warmth collecting there, giving the ridiculous pink of her skin some semblance of dignity when she's cast in the dark.

When she comes home to her tiny, empty apartment-falling on her cushions, holding on to Victoria II with all the unresolved tension in her heart-she concludes, much to her annoyance, that she's way past the edge of a cliff and already midway into the drop.

And all she can do is think of him, and smile like an idiot.

* * *

Most of the staff are out of the Flameon Art Gallery after he dismisses them, but Shouto stays behind, waiting for Shouji to come pick him up. He isn't in much of a hurry as he usually would be, or so he reassures Shouji who informs him that it'll be a bit of a wait. He has a lot of things to sort out in his head and a gap in the middle of his thoughts that he is apprehensive to fill in.

After making sure that his own staff have all gone home safely, Midoriya takes a seat next to him. "Sorry for panicking back there, Todoroki-kun. It's just that Asui-san and Hagakure-san came up with a _lot _of doomsday scenarios when we realized you two were missing, and w-well… we were legitimately worried that we'll find you with a serial killer's axe in the chest, you know?"

It's likely that the two women were just teasing Midoriya, who's easily spooked, although he can't imagine how anyone would be affected by Asui's deadpan delivery. Still, he appreciates the concern.

"Sorry for being ridiculous," Midoriya says with a laugh. "But I'm glad you two got out of there unscathed-can't say the same about Iida-kun, when the blackout happened he saw Shinsou-kun sneaking up behind them and got spooked..."

Unscathed? Can Shouto still say that after all this time?

He's established for some time now that he felt things for Uraraka, things that he has never felt for another person before. Whether they were good or bad, useful or useless, harmful or safe remained to be known. All he knows is that they're… pleasant, comforting in the strangest way, and even though he has instinctively sealed them in a box to keep him from straying from his goals in his life, he knows that it's impossible now-

-now, that he caught her in his arms, looked into her eyes, held her hands, listened to the way she held her breath, felt the blood rush in her palms. Now that he knows she thinks of strawberry mochi when she looks at his hair. Now that he knows how she looks when the very tips of her ears as pink as her cheeks.

The logic is confusing when he puts it like that, but it makes sense to him. And the simple conclusion to all the quiet turmoil, bubbling up in the depths:

"I'm in-love with her," Shouto says.

"... and we got really worried when he started screaming that he broke his nose, and-huh."

Midoriya's head turns with almost cogwheel-like rigidity at the sound of his admission, face shifting from one unreadable expression to another. "D-Director?"

He must be shocked. Shouto can't blame him, he's rather shocked about his own admission himself. It feels strange to say that he's in-love with her out loud, to add a different layer of reality to the things that he's feeling.

Strange, but not… unpleasant. Not wrong.

So he repeats, more firmly: "I'm in-love with Secretary Uraraka."

And as freeing as it feels to say it with her name, it rolls out of his mouth as a natural fact-the fact that he loves her, and has probably loved her for some time now. He doesn't know when he started, but he knows that he has no intentions of stopping. He supposes that's the more important thing.

Midoriya's face looks like it should be screaming, but all that comes out of his mouth is an indecipherable wheeze, and all that comes out of his eyes are rivers of happy tears.

"T-TODOROKI-KUN I'm-" Midoriya cries, after a shocked silence. "So proud-SO PROUD. It took you long enough, stupidly long enough, but y-you-you finally said it, holy moly, oh my god, my ship is sailing-"

"Thanks," Shouto says uneasily as Midoriya reaches for a box of Kleenex he kept in his backpack. "But I'm not talking about ships or yachts or anything of that sort. I'm talking about Uraraka and I."

"Please just let me enjoy this moment. I have a right to be invested in this," Midoriya says, still able to give him an incredulous look in between sniffles. "Ah, but what are you going to do next? You still have your plots and schemes to get her to marry you, right? What are you going to do?"

A good question. It's strange, but the realization that his motives for getting her by his side is not limited to just the convenience of having her there suddenly makes him more reluctant to proceed with his initial immature schemes and plots.

No, those plans-which were _manipulative, _on hindsight-won't do. He wants Uraraka, needs her to be with him, but if she doesn't choose to be with him all on her own, then what's the point?

"I think… I have to do this properly from now on," he mutters, more to himself than Midoriya.

"Okay," Midoriya says. There's a careful look on his best friend's face as he observes him. "And… how do you plan to do that?"

He probably needs to be more patient-there are other important things going on around them, other people clamoring for their attention-potential catastrophes that might occur if he dives headfirst into this. If he makes a mistake with her and things become irreparable, she is free to leave, and he wouldn't know what to do if things came down to that.

Not knowing what to do isn't something that ever happens to a decisive person like Shouto. It's a frightening thing, not being able to see past the next step.

But he thinks of her, and can only think about closing the distance between them. Despite the uncertainty of it all, he's sure about what he wants to do next.

"I have to tell her how I feel."

* * *

**_AN:_**_ ajskldfsa;fkd fgaskdflj 10 chapters later, and Todoroki realizes he's in-love. Uh why do I feel like it's too early lolololol_  
_This chapter is once more, a struggle-i don't think it's gonna be easier from this point on, since we're starting on the Momo arc lol-but it got doubly hard when I wrote too much on one googledoc and it just started crashing on me while I was in a good momentum hahaha. There's an upper limit of the number of words you can put in there before it stops you from writing fic. Mine is at over 60 k words apparently_  
_So I'm sorry if it's a lot awkward on some parts! T_T_

_Thank you once again for all the comments and kudos! I hope y'all are still looking forward to what happens next :)_


	11. The Sound Of Her Voice

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 11: The Sound Of Her Voice**

* * *

It isn't sunrise yet when she leaves her apartment with her heavy handbag, casual clothes, and a messy ponytail-a disguise that works due to the simplicity of it. Because she could wear her glasses today, it's easy to spot the car waiting for her outside. She's lucky that there doesn't seem to be anyone around for once, no shutter clicks or invasive flashes when she steps into the passenger seat and greets the person behind the wheel.

"Good morning!" She's panting from the light effort of sprinting from the door to the car. "Let's go, before anyone sees us!"

"Good morning to you too," Kendo Itsuka greets with a smile, releasing the handbrake as soon as she's buckled in. "You rest well? We've got a long day ahead of us."

She smiles, albeit wearily-a look she allows only in front of her manager for the past eight years. "I could use a power nap, to be honest. We finished rather late yesterday."

Itsuka hums as they drive out into the empty streets. "Take a nap now, it'll be an hour or so before we get to the next shoot. I got us coffee since it's so early, but you can drink that later."

"No, that's fine, I'll have the coffee now. I have a lot to study, anyway." She scrutinizes the cups of coffee steaming on the cupholders with a wrinkle of her nose. "Which one is mine, by the way?"

"One on the right."

"You sure?"

The redhead regards her look of suspicion and smiles at her teasingly. "Would I lie to Yaoyorozu Momo, Best Actress of the Year for five years straight?"

Momo pouts. "You would, and you know it!"

Itsuka liked her coffee strong and bitter without a single molecule of sugar or cream in it. Momo drank hers by accident once, and it was so strong her third eye probably opened up after the first sip. Even though it enhanced her acting to some degree (they were filming a tense action scene during that day), she became careful about coming into contact with any sort of liquids around her manager after that.

She takes the coffee on the right anyway. Thankfully it tastes of caramel instead of utter, bitter darkness. She sighs gratefully after the first sip.

"See? Wouldn't lie to you. At least, not today," Itsuka says, taking a sip of her own coffee amazingly without flinching. "Director Honenuki's pretty adamant about having you and Shindo be at the top of your game for today's scenes."

She didn't need to be reminded of the pressure. This next movie is going to be Honenuki Juzo's sophomore work as a director and his second project with Momo. There's a lot of hype around the project ever since the unexpected success of _The Goddess of Creation _. Everyone knows it, Studio Gevaudan knows it. They have no choice but to deliver.

So this is why instead of resting last night, she spent hours looking for medical journals, articles, support group forum posts about lupus-how it happens, all the complications, basically all the information she can get about how the titular character in _The Seismologist's Wife _suffers throughout her life.

Itsuka glances at her as she fishes out an intimidating sheaf of papers from her handbag. "Whoa, Yaomomo~ I know you don't play around when it comes to studying for your role, but that's practically a medical textbook! Are you going to finish reading all of that before the shoot?"

Before she can stop herself, she feels herself bouncing in excitement. "But it's fascinating, Itsuka-san! I can't help myself from reading about all the new innovations in treatment, but... I still have to read up on seismology after this."

Her manager gives her a patient smile. "Of course you do. Stick to the basics and leave the other parts to Shindo. He's the one who has to pretend to understand those earthquake machines, anyway, not you-"

"_Seismograms,_" Momo corrects with another excited bounce of her ponytail. "Speaking of which, did you know that seismic waves can be used to map out the earth's interior, and-"

"Hold up, hold up, it isn't five in the morning and I can't understand anything more complicated than Waze," Itsuka protests. She makes a show of taking a long, long sip of coffee at the impending information overload from Momo, which makes her roll her eyes. "You're a great actress, Momo, but sometimes I wonder if you could have also changed the world if you became a scientist. You definitely have the brains for it."

Momo laughs quietly. "You know… Father."

Itsuka sighs. "I know. Too well, actually," is all she says, as if the very topic makes her weary.

Well-given that Itsuka has also been privy to more than enough stern reprimands from Father… Momo can't say she blames her close friend very much.

They pull to a complete stop at a major intersection at the business district where the major corporations are located. It isn't rush hour yet, but there's already more than a handful of people trudging their way to work. Most of them are going up to one of the biggest ones-a familiar one she's had to visit every so often for the past couple of months-on her left.

Without meaning to, her eyes travel up, up, up to the very top of the Endeavor tower, where she knew Shouto lived. Somewhere up there he must still be sleeping. Victoria's probably rolled up in a little ball next to him. An alarm is set for five AM, three hours earlier than the time he'd like to start the day. He's going to spend about an hour preparing for a workday that usually ends close to midnight-one that doesn't allow for a lot of free time to see anyone like Momo.

That's just how busy that world really is. Shouto knows it, Momo knows it, Father knows it, everyone in the corporate world knows it-

-a flash of brown and pink rushes across the street, right as the lights begin to flash.

And here's someone who understands it more intimately than Momo ever could. Secretary Uraraka has a level of alertness that nobody really is supposed to have before five in the morning. There's determination in her brown eyes, the grip on her handbag, the tap of her heels against the pavement, even in the bounce of her hair secured in a small, bouncy ponytail at the back of her head. Momo knows exactly where she's going, what she's going to do when she reaches the penthouse and begins another work day with Shouto.

Uraraka Ochako. Shouto never admitted it verbally when he and Momo were 'dating,' (if the thirty days they spent together can really be called that), but he values her more than one would value a secretary.

Itsuka eyes her carefully from the driver's seat. "You okay?"

"Mhm," Momo replies with an absent smile as Secretary Uraraka disappears into the front lobby. "That was Shouto's secretary just now."

"I know. No mistaking those cheeks," Itsuka replies with a lopsided smile. "Do you still think he's in-love with her?"

It's hard to tell from this distance whether Shouto's grown up enough to confront his feelings. Still… "It's not my business now."

The light turns green. Itsuka, who understands everything all too well, moves the car with a sigh. "You rich people and your problems. I've never been happier being part of the middle class."

Momo agrees wistfully. "I can only dream, Itsuka-san. Sometimes all I want is to become an ordinary person."

She laughs. "You know that's impossible! You're the most extraordinary person I've ever met. But maybe you can start by dating an ordinary person, for once."

That deserves a shocked chortle from Momo. "That's even more impossible... Father would never stand for it!"

Itsuka shrugs. "An extraordinary person, then. But make sure that it's someone terrible that your father _won't _get along with."

"It-su-kaaaa that's not funny," Momo whines as Itsuka continues laughing at her expense. "Father's going to disown me if that happens!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It _is _a bad thing! It's shameful, I'd be kicked out of the family, I won't be allowed to call myself Yaoyorozu anymore-"

She wiggles her eyebrows, smug and easygoing and, and… _inappropriate. _"And you'll still be rich and famous. But this time, you'll be able to do whatever you like! I think that would be a great life, don't you?"

Momo sighs. 'Doing what she liked' is such a foreign concept that she can't picture herself doing anything else but fulfilling expectations. It would be a great life to live where she liked, do the jobs she liked, date any person she liked without Mother or Father having anything to say about it except _good job. _But…

"That's a luxury I can't afford," Momo says, quietly going back to her reading.

Itsuka exhales quietly and focuses on the road.

* * *

So, as for today's crisis: they have exactly seven days before the opening of the Art Center, and Dabi still hasn't replied to Ochako's email.

Camie watches Ochako refresh her inbox over and over, frustration growing with each click of the mouse. "Babes, that ain't gonna make an email magically appear," she says while balancing a pencil precariously on her upper lip. "Maybe Curious gave us a bogus email? He shoulda at least told us to fuck off by now if we emailed the right one."

Ochako knows that's not the case. While she was reluctant at first, she was able to contact Toga, who told her that she loved her for about an hour before she agreed to get her in-touch with Kurogiri, their manager. He was an unexpectedly sensible person who told her that he can convince Shigaraki to perform for them, but the burden of getting Dabi to say yes falls on their team. He gave her the same email address and a cryptic warning about how it isn't going to be easy negotiating with him.

So much for her brilliant idea of getting one of the biggest bands in the world to perform for them. Well, going for impossible things always carries with it a big risk for failure.

"You look so bummed, Ocha-babes," Camie points out with a pout. "Don't be, 'kay? We still got the Big Three if we can't get the LoV's stinkin' villain butts on stage. We're still gonna kill this opening!"

Ochako gives her a tired smile. "I know. I guess I just feel bad after all that big talk, y'know? I mean, I showed up Curious, but it's all for nothing."

"Never regret kickin' ass, babes," Camie says with a wink. "So, I gotta fix that frown with frappuccinos! Gimme like fifteen minutes. I want you to keep them cheeks pink, rosy, and glowin', 'kay?"

Camie leaves with her wallet in hand. Ochako is left phrasing a letter for the Big Three while trying to swallow down her disappointment. She really shouldn't feel this way, they're still going to have a successful opening regardless of the LoV's attendance there, but _damn _she talked big in front of the Director, and she might have just let him down like this…

Speaking of which…

Now that Camie's gone, she lets herself peek through the glass windows of Director Todoroki's office. He looks the best when he's hard at work like this, with a look of focus in those heterochromatic eyes that tells everyone that his mind's going a mile a minute. Long, slender fingers curl against the edge of his face as he scrutinizes the data in front of him.

It's strange to look at the Director and feel… weird. Like she knows she should be sick of looking at his dumb clueless face every day for the past nine years, but she's still craning her neck to look at him through the glass anytime she could… but everytime she gives in to her whims, she has to stop herself because this is simply a bad idea.

Yes… it's a bad idea to think about how it felt to crash into him, to search for his eyes in the dark, to listen to his heartbeat, his voice. To hold his hand and catch their breaths together and wonder why it feels like she's floating.

Damn it, she's staring at him again. His eyes move up; she dodges, barely, making sure that her eyes look like they've been glued to her screen for the past hour or so.

From her periphery, she sees him go back to his own screen with a huff. Well, she deserved that; she must have weirded him out with all the staring.

She leans back into her seat with a sigh. She should stop being this silly ball of sap-_Ochako, really, where would this useless pining for the Director get you? Just a load of nothing, because you're quitting, and he's from a different world with no time to waste for a girl like you, even though he says otherwise._

She sighs, tries to concentrate on her work, until someone clears their throat nearby.

"Ah!" She jolts in surprise, her upper body bowing before she even registers the person in front of her-white hair, dark eyes, a kind yet amused smile as she watches Ochako on her desk. "Good morning, Fuyumi-san!"

"Good morning, Uraraka-san!" Todoroki Fuyumi replies with a kind smile, which turns into a look of concern once she takes a closer look. "Oh… sorry, am I interrupting something important?"

"Oh!" Ochako laughs with a shake of her head. "Ah… well, it's just the usual things at work, but nothing I can't handle."

The other woman smiles politely as she walks over and places her heavy handbag with a light _thud _over the reception desk, looking relieved as she does so-has she seriously been lugging her university stuff with her all day? "Shouto's overworking you again, isn't he? He's a nice kid, but sometimes he can be too serious when it comes to his work in Endeavor. I should tell him off for not giving you enough breaks…"

"Oh no! Please," Ochako stammers with a flush of her cheeks. "I'm fine! This one-I took on this assignment on this own, and it's my duty to finish it!"

Looking at Todoroki Fuyumi always feels like gazing out the window of a pristine winter morning while drinking hot chocolate-calm and peaceful, like everything will be alright. Might be a strange thing to feel about your boss's older sister, but then again they knew each other for nine years too, so it's no surprise that they became a little close.

"So, what brings you here?" Ochako asks, in an attempt to change the subject. "The Director didn't tell me he was expecting you today..."

Fuyumi shakes her head. "He wasn't. I needed to meet Takami-san for something, and I figured that I'd ask Shouto something personally while I'm here. Oh, but he looks busy..."

There's a sudden nervous fidget in her shoulders and a wringing of her hands that Ochako notices immediately. The way she's peeking nervously at through the glass of the office, where the Director's taking a video call, is also pretty telling of what exactly it is she's about to ask of him.

Carefully, Ochako asks, "Is this another family dinner?"

She turns with a blush of her cheeks. "Ahh-am I that obvious, Uraraka-san?"

This isn't the first time she's tried to ask her little brother to go to the Todoroki Mansion for dinner. To make Todoroki Shouto show up to lunch with the Chairman over business matters (like their last visit) was already like pulling teeth. Dinner outside the pretense of work was a whole other struggle. These things start with eerie silence and usually ends with the Chairman arguing with the Director, with Natsuo-san, or both.

And the soba slurping thing. While Ochako admits that the first time seeing the Director and Natsuo-san doing synchronized slurping was funny, it got weird after a while. She's sure glad that she isn't invited to these family dinners anymore.

But today is a little different. Fuyumi never ever looks weary every time she tries to convince Shouto to go, but now she does. Almost as if she was cornered to be here.

Ochako tilts her head curiously. "Fuyumi-san, is something important happening tonight?"

"... well…" Fuyumi stares at her, obviously torn. "We just need to be all together tonight, that's all."

Again, weird-Fuyumi usually isn't hesitant about telling Ochako anything about the Todorokis, since it's part of her job to know about any family affairs, yet...

But Ochako isn't going to ask. She won't have the responsibility of knowing about all the Todoroki family issues for any longer, so maybe this is fine. "I think what I can do is notify you once the Director has free time today, or I can tell him to call you back. Would that be okay?"

Fuyumi laughs nervously. "Well… you know that isn't going to get him home, but-"

"Hey, Uraraka-chan! I just need an update regarding-oh, it's Fuu-chan!"

Fuyumi gasps, while Ochako's upper body bows instinctively again. "K-keigo-san?" the other woman stammers in surprise.

"What a surprise," Chief Secretary Takami says, not looking in any way surprised at all. (When was he ever, though?) "I thought you'd be back at UA by now~ if you wanted to talk with Shouto-kun after our meeting, I could have walked you here too!"

Ochako doesn't miss the nervousness in Fuyumi's laugh. "No, I mean… I was already pretty embarrassed about the favor I asked of you, so…"

"Hey now, there isn't anything you can ask of me that's embarrassing! I have zero shame, after all!" The funny thing is, Takami's 100% honest when he says this, and Ochako has been witness to that for years now. "So, you're asking Shouto about dinner with the Chairman later, huh?"

"That's right," Fuyumi says in surprise. "But how could you have known? I didn't tell you about-"

Takami shrugs. "Lucky guess? I was going to ask him personally if you weren't gonna tell me. I gotta know everything the Chairman has to do, y'know. It's my job!"

Fuyumi laughs-again, obviously nervous. "Oh-of course! I guess it's silly for me to assume that you won't find out eventually. Well… you know how it is, Dad usually wants Shouto there, even though it's impossible…"

Takami hums with an easygoing smile. "You usually just text Shouto, though. So tonight's family dinner is _that _important, huh?"

Fuyumi falters for the briefest of moments-she tries to compose herself in the next, but it was obvious enough that Ochako can't help but raise her eyebrows at that. "Um, no, it's just the usual dinner at home. Natsuo's off duty from the hospital for once."

There's a sharp look in Takami's eyes that Ochako doesn't miss, which tells her that he noticed her hesitation as well. And that he knows more than what he's letting on. The man called Hawks is terrifying like that.

But all he does is smile. "I guess that makes sense! It's been a while since the Chairman invited me to dinner at your house, and I guess I've been secretly wishing that he'd invite me again~ your tatsutaage's to die for, you know?"

He laughs in his usual carefree way, and Fuyumi can only laugh along with him. Ochako decides to join in, just to have something else to do other than staring at this strange scenario.

"W-well, if that's what you like, I can make some for you no problem," Fuyumi says, only slightly relieved. "I'll just text Shouto like you said. I have to get back to university, so…"

"Oh, are you?" Takami says with a big smile. "Well, you're in luck, 'cause I happen to be free right now! I can drive you there if you like!"

"Huh, but-"

Fuyumi certainly looks shocked over this. Ochako suddenly feels like helping her out. "But Takami-san, didn't you say that you wanted an update?"

"That can wait! But Fuu-chan, you've got a lecture in like, fifteen minutes or less! It's okay, I can fly us right into university before you know it!"

He's linking his arm around hers and dragging her out the door before either of them can stop him. Fuyumi squeals. "W-wait, Takami-san, at least slow down-"

"Nope no can do! A professor's gotta be professional!"

And so he successfully gets Fuyumi out of the office, saluting Ochako on the way out. As the door slams, Ochako's left staring dumbly into empty space.

The door opens a few minutes later, with Camie carrying two orange mocha frappuccinos with a ridiculous amount of whipped cream and chocolate sauce drizzled on top. There's a questioning little smirk on her full mouth when she asks, "Hawks and Directoroki's older sis got a thing going on or something?"

Ochako sighs. "I don't know, but _please _don't mention that anywhere near the Director. He doesn't like thinking about that, either."

"Gotcha," Camie says, placing Ochako's coffee on the counter, before making a curious sound. "Hey, Ocha-babes, this your bag? It looks really heavy… and really expensive, like _wow, _that's a limited edition Uwabami snakeskin bag, right?"

Ochako gasps. "Oh my gosh, Fuyumi-san! And all her paperwork! I have to bring it to her-"

At that moment, Ochako's phone vibrates on the counter. She picks it up, surprised at the name she sees there.

_Takami Keigo (1023H): hey uraraka-chan *:ﾟ__*｡⋆__ฺ__(*´◡`) looks like fuu-chan left her bag there by accident ^_^' my fault! _

_Takami Keigo (1024H): its too late for us to go back tho since she's soooo late for her lecture~ (*´∀`*) _

Well, at least he has enough shame to say that it's his fault for suddenly rushing Fuyumi-san out of there. What is this guy up to, anyway?!

_Uraraka Ochako (1025H): It's all right sir. I'll deliver the bag to the university during lunch break. _

_Takami Keigo (1025H): no can do, u and utsushimi-chan r super busy 2day amirite? _

_Takami Keigo (1026H): fuu-chan says she can survive tho! so it should be okay to deliver it later… although there are lotsa =top secret things= in that bag which can only be seen by todoroki eyes~ _

_Takami Keigo (1026H): oh, that gives me an idea! _

Camie pouts as she watches Ochako glaring at her phone with twitching eyes. "Babes, what's up? You look like you're boutta go super saiyan on your phone or sum'n."

_Takami Keigo (1027H): shouto-kun can bring the bag later! ヽ__(＊__∇)ﾉ _

_Takami Keigo (1027H): he's going to that family dinner later anyways, right? _

_Takami Keigo (1028H): just tell him to bring the bag over to the mansion after work ;D whew im glad it all works out in the end~ (*´∀`*) _

_Uraraka Ochako (1028H): sir im not sure about that _

_Takami Keigo (1029H): ok! back to driving, ttyl~ ε=ε=ε=ε=ε" "(/*'-'*)/ _

"Whoa, texting and driving?" Camie comments as she looks over Ochako's shoulder. "Even for Hawks, that's whack~"

Ochako knows that this is just some tactic to get her to stop arguing. It's still pretty annoying though. She's beginning to understand why the Director sours anytime someone implies that Takami-san is dating Fuyumi-san.

In any case, Takami-san was able to help Fuyumi-san, after all. This gives Director Todoroki a good reason to go to the mansion. As much as he hates family dinners, he can't say no to helping out his sister in any way he can.

And anyway, it looks like he _has _to be there, if Fuyumi's mood means anything at all. Ochako can only hope that this doesn't make the Director act all strange the following morning again.

* * *

Shouto should have known that nothing good would have come out of this terrible evening.

The sight of a harried Secretary Uraraka presenting him with Fuyumi-nee's handbag already raised a lot of red flags. So is her story of Fuyumi making an unexpected visit, followed by Takami-san dragging her out of there and somehow setting up a situation where Shouto has no choice but to come home that evening. Shouto isn't surprised at that part-anytime Takami-san shows himself, there's trouble concealed somewhere in the not-so-distant future.

"I offered to deliver the bag on your behalf, but Takami-san practically banned me from doing so," Uraraka says, truly regretful that she wasn't able to do anything more.

This sudden situation is unpleasant for other reasons. He planned to take Uraraka out to another date this evening. He spent the little free time he had in the day doing research on what sort of restaurant that a woman of her age and occupation would genuinely enjoy. The Google search yielded too many varying results, so he had resorted to subtly asking the people at work about it.

It was a mistake to ask Midoriya about it, because he spent five minutes crying about how happy he was for Shouto before saying, "I don't know if she would like it, but there's a new Mighty Cafe in Akihabara that's getting good reviews… there's limited edition merch for sale too, you guys can get souvenir couple shirts when you go home!"

So that's a no.

On the way out of Midoriya's office, he ran into Secretary Hagakure. She jumped twenty feet in the air from Shouto calling out to her (apparently she didn't even know he knew her name-Shouto didn't have the heart to tell her that he had simply read her work ID from afar), and it took her some time before she calmed down enough to answer his question.

"Oh, a place that women like?" she asked, curiously. "What is this for, Director?"

"A client's daughter," Shouto lied smoothly. "I have things to ask, and I don't want any other answer than _yes. _"

Well… the latter half of his lie isn't really a lie. Secretary Hagakure seemed convinced enough, and proceeded to think seriously about her answer. "Ah! You know, the other day, Ochako-chan went to this trendy cafe in Kiyashi with a hot guy_! _That looks like a nice place! I think it was called-"

That's a big, big _no_. Shouto didn't even let her finish her sentence before he's walking out of there in a huff.

He tried asking his own staff one by one, too, but it was apparent how bad of an idea that was. He had to endure Kirishima and Ashido argue about barbecue joints for ten whole minutes. Iida recommended an underwhelming juice bar near work that he insisted serves stupendous orange juice. Monoma had suggested a cafe that sounds promising, but upon further prodding it was a cafe in Montemartre. It was a good idea, but Shouto is sure that Uraraka will be overwhelmed if he flew her out to Paris tonight. Maybe next time, when they're married for real-

Weird, how something jumps in Shouto's chest at the thought of that. He shakes it off and moves on.

As for Utsushimi-it was hard to approach her since she's usually with Secretary Uraraka, but in the small window of time he caught her alone, he saw a rather suspicious smile on her mouth even before he opened his mouth to ask.

"Directoroki, you got something you wanna ask me?" she had asked, with a raise of her sculpted eyebrows that tells him she's got something up her sleeve.

Something in his gut tells him not to consult her about this. "I'm expecting a report from the engineering office," he told her instead.

It was very subtle, but she clicked her tongue in disappointment before producing the report for him.

So Shouto draws a blank as the day wound down. He wonders why he's more anxious about making sure that Uraraka is comfortable and happy. He certainly didn't have these sorts of misgivings when he planned their first outing in Mightyland.

This shouldn't be hard. Doesn't he know Secretary Uraraka enough to come up with something she'd like all on his own? He should, he's been with her for nine whole years, and before all those things happened, they talked about a million things together-

"... strawberry mochi…"

Oh. That's something she liked, wasn't it? She told him all those years ago that it's one of her favorite things. It's why Shouto asked Sato to make them for her when they had that picnic. It's not the most creative starting point, but it's something.

This was right before he stepped out of the office and ran into Uraraka, though. And instead of using his energy to sort out the mess of feelings he has for her, he has to face a whole other mess completely.

* * *

Admittedly, from the point he set foot in the Todoroki mansion and sees Dabi on the couch, things start to go wrong.

Shouto has Fuyumi's handbag in his hand when he steps in, but he probably drops it on the floor when his eyes fall on his older brother's form.

"Hey, Shouto. You finally made it," Dabi tells him with a lopsided grin, voice as cutting as it's ever been. "I thought you'd be too busy to go home."

"You're home," Shouto says, numbly.

This is wrong, Touya shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be wearing such a flimsy shirt with all his burns showing. He shouldn't be smiling, not when Enji's about to go home and see him and possibly… possibly-

"Enji isn't home yet either," his older brother tells him. "So don't look so stressed. The showdown isn't happening yet."

Shouto swallows, hard. "Nii-san," he says carefully, "Why would you come back?"

"Fuyumi's the one who wants me here, not me. I couldn't say no to her, although you gotta admit-" Touya makes a show of looking at Shouto up and down, wrinkling his nose at the suit, the tie, the shiny cufflinks, all the details that make the two of them seem so different,"-it's stupid how she wants us all together under one roof, huh? Especially when we're light years from each other now"

Shouto does his best to ignore the glare in his eyes. "We should leave, nii-san. You don't have to-"

"_I _don't have to… what_?_" Touya asks, with a wry smile.

_You don't have to remember anything, _Shouto almost says, but keeps his mouth closed. "You don't have to see Enji."

Touya's pierced eyebrows raise in interest. "Why are you so keen to kick me out? You wanna protect Enji from me that badly?"

No, Enji of all people doesn't need protecting. He has half a hundred people who are paid to lay down their lives for him, and even more lurking in the shadows fixing things, erasing his name from places where they don't belong.

It's not Enji who he wants to protect. But the words don't come out from his mouth.

At his silence, Touya clicks his tongue. "Of course you do, Shouto. I couldn't believe that you've changed this much, but it looks like you did, after all. I know I'd never get you on my side, but to keep on hanging on to Enji's side like this?"

"No-"

"Abandoning mom, forgetting all the pain he put us through… and Fuyumi and Natsuo too-" Touya laughs bitterly, "is it so easy to forget all that just because you're the heir of Endeavor?"

"No, I'll never forget what he did," Shouto argues weakly. "Nii-san, please, let's stop arguing about this."

"How can I stop talking about this, Shouto? I spent the past twenty-four years trying to overcome my trauma so I can fucking remember what happened that day, but-" Touya continues that bitter laugh, his skinny frame shaking with the effort of it. One scarred thumb rubs the underside of his eye to wipe a tear off-since when was it there? "But you… you don't even need trauma to forget. All Enji had to do was to give you a nice penthouse, a fat salary, and a good little secretary who does every little thing you ask."

Shouto stops, feels his face freeze to the point of building frost. "... What did you say?"

Looks like Touya notices the exact moment where things change-the smile on his mouth grows a little wider, a little more sinister when he steps closer to him. "Oooh. So the secretary's the weak spot for little Shou, huh? Well… didn't know that short stacks and round cheeks were your type, but I guess I can't blame you. She's awfully cute, isn't she?"

No, he _didn't. _She and him-no, they can't, they shouldn't meet ever again-Shouto spent all this time keeping them away from each other-

"The look on your face. You look about ready to kill me, Shouto," Touya sneers with a sick satisfaction. "But what if the little secretary of yours were to find out about you and me, Shou? What if one of these days, I decide to visit you up in your cushy little office, try to look for Secretary… uh… what's that again-"

How, how did he-

"... Secretary Uraraka. There you go." Another sordid chuckle. "Thought about it so hard it drove me _crazy. _What if-"

From that point on, things become a blur. Someone steps forward with a fist, the other retaliates, and then they're hurting each other, yelling profanities and hurtful insults. Fuyumi's shrill scream comes from one side, a white blur comes behind Touya and pulls him off Shouto, who had fallen to the floor at one point-his jaw stings, his head spins, Fuyumi's handbag is upended and spilling papers all over the floor-

"Nii-chan, stop beating Shouto up! The heck-" Was Natsuo home the entire time? When did he get here? Why is he having a hard time getting Touya to calm down when he's much taller and stronger? Why is Touya so angry with him?

"Shouto, what in the world-" And Fuyumi… she's supposed to be cooking in the kitchen, why is she standing over him, crying and heartbroken? Damn, his face hurts like hell. It hasn't hurt like this for a long time, he hasn't felt a hit to his face for years now. The last time was… was…

He doesn't immediately see the imposing figure looming from the doorway in his daze, but when he finally does, he's aware of the bitter taste of anger, hot and searing, flooding in his mouth.

Todoroki Enji's blue eyes are burning when he looks at them, one after the other. The quiet that fills the room is instantaneous and suffocating, as if a massive fire consumes all the air within their lungs.

"... I won't have this kind of shameful behavior in my home," he rumbles, unforgiving glare directed right into the older brother's face. "Get out."

"Dad-" Fuyumi begins, voice pleading, on the verge of asking for a second chance for all of them, but Touya is the one who cuts her off with a sneer.

"Don't have to tell me twice… _Todoroki Enji. _"

"Touya-nii… C'mon, you don't have to-"

He shakes himself out of Natsuo's grip. Natsuo barely fights him, especially when his quiet plea goes largely ignored. Shoving his hands in his pockets, showing off all the scars on his arms, he glares with all the spite he has in his heart and sends it to Enji's direction before quietly making his way out of the mansion. Shouto's head feels like splitting when the door slams shut behind him.

He doesn't realize that he's still a heap on the floor until the sniffling Fuyumi helps him up to sit and dusts him off. "Sh-Shouto… come on, let's get you cleaned up before supper, okay? Just stay-"

"Sorry, Fuyumi." Shouto says as he pulls himself to his feet. "I… I'm going to go home instead."

"Who told you you can leave, Shouto?" Enji says with a cold glare in his direction. "It's almost dinner time. Listen to your sister."

Shouto returns his glare to him. It's terrible breaking his sister's heart like this again, but he can't stand another night beaten and bruised in this suffocating mansion.

He doesn't say another word as he collects himself and steps out of his father's house, not once looking back.

* * *

And so… Shouto ends up here: face swollen, skin cold against the night air as he leans against his car, parked across the street from a tiny apartment in an infuriatingly small neighborhood at the other side of the city.

He doesn't even know that he's driving to Secretary Uraraka's neighborhood until he inevitably slows down when the streets narrow. He would have commended himself for not getting lost this time, but he's light-headed, confused, with a tangled web of unpleasant feelings sticking at the walls of his chest, so he's in no position to do any of that. Nor is he in the right state of mind to decide what to do with himself now that he's here, except to stare at the light peeking through the blinds of her windows and wonder if he's breaking any laws by doing this.

That's a good point. Should he be here in the first place? He hasn't told Uraraka that he was visiting, and he hasn't told her yet that he's outside her door battling with his conscience. He should, in theory, but typing out a string of words that make sense suddenly feels impossible to do.

Yes, he knows from the start that there's no sense coming in here to cause trouble for her. But Shouto isn't sensible this evening. After he fought his brother, ignored his father, broke his sister's heart, his brain tells him that if he could only catch a glimpse of Uraraka Ochako, heard the sound of her voice, maybe he'd feel a little better about the mess his life has become.

… but that's… selfish of him, isn't it? He's involving her in his messes again. He had vowed long ago to keep her away from the skeletons in his family's closet. He did a stellar job of it for the past nine years, but now all his efforts are in jeopardy.

It feels like the hardest thing to do right now, but leaving is the best thing to do. He sighs, starts to walk his way around his car, fishes out the car keys from his pocket-

-and bumps right into a small figure singing a little song.

_" _Ack! My eggs!"

Well, isn't this scene familiar. "Secretary Uraraka?"

Uraraka Ochako thankfully doesn't drop her groceries on the ground this time, but she does manage a glare in his direction and pull out an earbud blaring out a loud upbeat tune that oddly sounds Korean, before she finally recognizes him. "D-Director Todoroki?! What are you doing here at this time of night? And…"

His face still hurts, but seeing her and hearing her voice really does make him feel better. It's frightening how right his instincts were about that.

It's dark, with only a few streetlights to illuminate his face. She had to step closer to him to see all the gruesome details of his older brother's handiwork. "Oh my gosh, Director! Your face-"

Her hand is warm around his cheek when she carefully assesses him for injuries. "Oh no… you didn't fall or anything again, did you? What happened?"

"... I don't want to talk about it," he says, probably too quickly.

He had expected Uraraka to prod him further, but to his surprise there's a look of understanding in her eyes-as if she knew very well why he's bruised and heavy-hearted, waiting for something he doesn't know right at her doorstep. Well, she knew that he had to go to the mansion that evening, that always put him in a sour mood.

She bites her lip. "Okay. I won't ask," she says carefully. "Um… but I think you should come in and let me take care of you, Director."

Shouto blinks. "Take care of me?" he repeats dumbly.

She nods. "That's why you're here, right? I mean… I can't think of a reason why you'd come here, unless you need my help with something..."

He didn't come here for help… well, not really. All he wanted was to see her, that's all. It's stupid now that he thinks about it, but he thought he could survive the night alone if he just saw her for a little bit.

But now-the thought of stepping into her home, just the two of them-he needs a moment to think about this-

"Come on, don't just stand there, Director. It's getting cold," Uraraka says when he doesn't stay anything. She holds on to the crook of his arm and walks him across the street up to the entrance of her home. "I'll make it quick so that you don't have to get home that late, okay?"

Well… if it's going to be quick, maybe he shouldn't panic about going into the home of the woman he's in-love with. Uraraka certainly doesn't have qualms about showing him to her tiny home-even though she's in raggedy gym shorts and an oversized hoodie, she's going to remain professional until the end.

Still-when they finally get to the spot in her door with her worn-out Welcome mat under their feet, Shouto finds that he has to take a deep calming breath to stop his pulse from racing as she turns the key to her door.

* * *

_AN: Hello! Sorry for the wait! Hope the holidays are treating you well ^_^_

_In light of a recent review I received, please take note -again- that this story is based on a k-drama called What's Wrong With Secretary Kim! At this point in the story, it's obvious that I added way too many other elements that doesn't make it a 100% fateful adaptation to the story line of the k-drama, but it's still gonna be structured around the same story haha. I guess I just need to say this again to prevent further misunderstandings;;;_

_Anyways, I hope for those of you waiting on the regular update that this isn't too frustrating a wait. :) there aren't a lot of moments between Shouto and Ochako in this chapter, but well! Those sorts of chapters are necessary sometimes to keep the ball rolling._

_I hope you're still enjoying this story! See you in the next update :)_


	12. Just A Little Longer

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 12: Just A Little Longer**

When Ochako went out to buy eggs for breakfast tomorrow and left Victoria in her apartment, she had expected to run into trouble when she got back home. The cat always did like making a mess when Ochako wasn't looking-she suspected that the cat had a vendetta against her for being her top rival for the Director's attention, and had a personal mission to destroy her house because of it.

But she went out anyway. Her apartment is already kind of cluttered, it won't be any worse off if Victoria were to break a lamp or two while Ochako's in the Family Mart for the next ten minutes. Plus the cat's smart enough to not hurt herself. Ochako's positive that nothing out of the ordinary's gonna happen tonight-

Until she bumped into Director Todoroki on the way home, that is. Literally.

The luxury car, the business suit, and the threat to her discount eggs was all too familiar. Ochako's instantly on high alert for unexpected marriage proposals, but a closer look at the Director's face replaces her apprehensions with new ones-that is, he looks _awful. _There's a cut on his lip and a bruise on his jaw and a disconnected look in his eyes that seemed to go beyond his injuries.

He wouldn't answer any questions. _Couldn't _, more like. Ochako had an inkling of what happened; he went to the Todoroki Mansion for dinner with the family, and now he's out there earlier than expected and beaten up. It's alarming and perfectly understandable that he isn't going to be ready to talk about anything that happened yet.

Still, Ochako shouldn't be the first person he'd come to for problems in his personal life; that job usually falls on Chief Midoriya. But if he came to her, it just means that he thought he needed her. All she can do is take care of him.

Except-

_Crap, _Ochako thinks, right at the threshold of the door as she turns the key, _I'm bringing Director Todoroki in my apartment. _

_Director Todoroki Shouto, the man I'm in-love with. _

_In my apartment. _

She freezes just as the door swings open and exposes the unattractive mess of clothes and open bags of honey butter chips over her old couch.

_My ~messy~ apartment. _

"Ah, I can hear Victoria," Director Todoroki says, brightening up at the sound of a mewl from within. "Victoria, it's me, your owner Shou-"

"NO DIRECTOR STOP!" Ochako shrieks, pushing the Director back outside until he's at the railing near the entrance and away from the view of the mess she has inside. Gods, why would she bring the Director here when her apartment is the messiest it's ever been?! Not that there's garbage or mice or anything, but it's still pretty embarrassing for one of the heads of the biggest conglomerates in Japan to see her underwear and the ratty lounge shirts she liked to wear splayed out on the couch!

Todoroki stares at her, then at her hands on his chest, then at the overall compromising picture of her shoving him against something with curious intentions. "... am I misunderstanding something, Secretary Uraraka?" he asks.

"N-no! I mean, yes…?" Ochako curses her cheeks from being pink. "Just-let me fix my apartment real quick, 'kay?"

Director Todoroki blinks before returning a tentative, "... 'kay."

This man knows _exactly _how to throw her off, doesn't he. She stares at him incredulously for exactly half a second before rushing to fix things at the speed of light-throwing fifteen kilos of unfolded laundry in the closet, stuffing all her half-eaten snacks and ramune in the fridge, hiding her electric kettle out of sight, refilling Victoria's water bowl with the specialty mineral water prescribed by her vet, all while the cat twirls around her leg in an effort to cause another accident.

It takes her about five minutes. Ochako hopes she isn't too winded when she opens the door, leans against the doorframe, and coolly welcomes the Director inside. "Please… come in."

Todoroki gives her a strange look, which he extends to the rest of her apartment when he's at the hall. "Secretary Uraraka… I knew you lived in a modest neighborhood, so I had some expectations about the state of your apartment."

Ochako returns the strange look as he looks at her modest furnishings with a discerning eye.

He shakes his head. "... The situation's worse than I thought."

If he didn't look like a kicked puppy just now, she would have shoved him right outside the door again.

"I can offer you better housing than this," he continues, oblivious to the offended twitch under her eye. "There's a residential space in the Endeavor Tower, one floor below mine. If you want to-"

"You offered those before and I refused," Ochako quips a little too sharply. "Besides, my home isn't _that _bad. If it was, Victoria's wouldn't like it here."

He takes off his shoes and pads his way inside, picking up Victoria who jumps right at him along the way. "I suppose you're right. She always looks so relaxed after staying with you."

Well of course that cat would be relaxed, because she can break all the things she likes here and blow off steam without repercussions. In fact, Ochako thinks that the cat could use to be a little _less _relaxed.

"If it's good enough for Victoria," Todoroki takes a seat on her couch. He looks out of place, like caviar on instant noodles, an exquisite thing against a plain backdrop. "... and if you're happy here, I won't force you to change anything."

Ochako smiles. "I am perfectly happy living here. Thank you for the offer anyway, Director."

At least he looks brighter than he did moments ago. Less lost. "Good to hear. If you change your mind, let me know."

He smiles a little, a barely there thing that she wouldn't notice if she wasn't so accustomed to his face. Despite all the clueless words he said earlier, her heart thumps painfully in her chest.

Clearing her mind of any stray thoughts, she says, "I'll get something for the cut on your lip, Director. Don't move."

Todoroki nods, quietly content with Victoria purring on his lap. For once Ochako's thankful to have the cat over here.

Once she has her first-aid kit, Ochako starts cleaning the cut on his lip. Just like the time he hit his head after Company Day, he's dazed when she gets to work. He doesn't say anything strange this time, though, and instead lets her work in silence.

"There. That's a little better," Ochako says, taking one last look at his mouth. "You don't look so terrible now, Director."

Todoroki takes the little hand mirror that Ochako lends him. There's a faraway look in his eyes when he stares at himself. While all the damage is on his lip, he lightly touches the red parts of his hair with a frown.

"Thank you." An odd moment later, he puts the mirror down. "I suppose… I'll be going now."

He seems reluctant to go, though, and not just because Victoria looks up at him from his lap and meows loudly in protest.

He isn't better yet. She has to do something about that.

"You know, Director," she says, carefully meeting his curious gaze when he looks up, "I was just about to make a midnight snack before you got here. Do you want to join me?"

Todoroki blinks.

She shrugs. "It's not gourmet, just instant ramen. It's good, though!"

"Instant ramen." Todoroki considers this with a frown. "You actually eat that cheap stuff?"

She tries to keep her face from twitching in offense when she replies, "It's not bad! But like I said, it isn't the type of food that you're used to, so if you don't want to, then-"

"That's not what I meant," he cuts off rapidly. "It's just that I've never eaten it before, because I wasn't allowed to. I was told that they're garbage food for garbage p-"

He cuts himself off with another frown, and suddenly it's clear: of course the Chairman controlled that aspect of his life, too. Not that eating instant food was ever good for anybody, but to be told those sorts of things when he was small couldn't have given him a good outlook about other people. Ochako doesn't want to judge the situation simply on what she knows, but fact is Todoroki Shouto is the way he is today as a result of his upbringing.

"I understand, Director," she insists. "You don't have to eat with me. If you want to go home now, I can call Shoji-kun, so-"

"No." There's a sudden stubborn look in his eyes as he stands up decisively from the couch and points a finger at her. "I will eat your cheap ramen, Secretary Uraraka, because you offered and also because I want to. So please, go ahead and cook for us."

She blinks at him, stunned. "S-sure, Director, I'll make you some-"

"And I'm going to eat it all."

He looks determined to enjoy it purely out of spite, although the subtle wrinkle of his nose tells her that he's already computing the excess sodium in his head and he's starting to become uneasy over this. She wouldn't put hold it against him for backing down, but he refuses her when she asks him if he's sure.

_He is so ridiculous! _

"Why are you smiling, Secretary Uraraka?" he asks as he follows her into the kitchen.

"Nothing, sir," she says, trying to keep her voice even. "Um, you don't have to watch me, you know. You can go around and explore my apartment!"

He looks like he wants to watch her work, but then he sees the box of instant ramen and all the artificial ingredients listed on the box, and decides to take her suggestion.

While she's concentrating on making the ramen, she vaguely hears his light footsteps going around her small apartment with Victoria trailing behind him. It doesn't take him long before he's explored her entire living room/kitchenette/dining room area, unfortunately, and even if she isn't looking she can tell that he's already bored.

… well, it can't be helped that her home is so small, but she still feels a little embarrassed over it.

The footsteps recede somewhere by the time she's served the ramen in two mismatched bowls. But as she looks up to call him over, she realizes that he's not there anymore, and that she's left her bedroom door open.

He really went in, huh. Well, she did tell him he can go anywhere he liked, and he of all people wouldn't hesitate to go into someone's bedroom, like a normal person with filters would.

True enough, when she gets there, Director Todoroki's looking at some of the books stacked messily on her bedside table. Victoria's on her bed, tail twitching in interest, her so-called royal paws batting at something purple on her bed-

_Oh no-my bra! _

_Why _was she so messy?! How embarrassing! Did the Director notice?! Wait, maybe he hasn't, maybe she can zoom past him and stuff it under her pillow or something-

"Secretary Uraraka," Todoroki calls, right as she rushes towards her bed, scaring Victoria off.

In hindsight, it's all an accident from this point on-her life has somehow turned into a cheesy shoujo manga, and these sorts of scenarios seem to be unavoidable. Instead of getting to her bed, he turns his body just so, and she crashes right into him and onto her bed. He lands on his back with an _oof, _and to her horror the back of his head lands right into the very bra she was trying to hide.

"Oh god," she manages, staring bug-eyed right into the Director's odd eyes, which were just as wide and confused.

"... Uraraka?"

She's in an awkward position, but she's able to reach out not-so-subtly behind his head to fish out the bra and stuff it under the smiling Victoria II. Not exactly the most glamorous method, but at least it's dealt with. Now that just leaves the problem of making up a believable excuse for tackling him…

She takes a deep, shaky breath. "Director… I-"

She feels two strong arms holding her close; one across her back, another behind her head to press it against his chest. She hears the beating of his heart under her ear, strong and steady, rapid at first before slowing down to a calm rhythm, so precariously close to her own that she feels her heart try to catch up to it.

"... it's okay," she hears him whisper, so soft that she isn't sure of what she's hearing at first. "Just a little longer, please."

The moment feels absolutely fragile. Strange, how scary it is to move, how she feels that this tender moment where she feels like she's right where she belongs will break if she takes herself away from the warmth of his embrace.

But she blinks, and the ridiculousness of the situation catches up to her. As embarrassed and confused as she is, she turns her head and forces herself to meet his eyes as she asks, "... what was that, Director?"

"... it's nothing."

Todoroki takes another deep breath and schools his features into the usual cold one he wears. "You seem to be keen on pushing me down tonight, Secretary Uraraka. Again, I wonder if I'm misunderstanding something."

She sputters indignantly, blushing all the way to the roots of her hair. "N-no-I mean yes, you are! I didn't mean to push you, I just-"

She spots the book he was examining before-the Conversational English textbook he ordered her to study before, still with the post-it she placed there years ago with her messy handwriting scrawled on it. _"Stupid director's stupid exam on chapter 3 tomorrow!" _She feels indignant all over again.

Director Todoroki huffs from underneath her. "I figured you pushed me down because you didn't want me to see that. Unfortunately this does not make your case any better, Secretary Uraraka."

She _should _technically be the one to apologize, but it's so hard to do because he's so...! "Geez, Director! If you weren't so hard on me with my English before-"

"You wouldn't be this good at it," he finishes for her, as he helps her up. "Am I right?"

"... fine. You are." She manages to get her heart rate down enough to regain some composure. Victoria meows at her mockingly. "Anyway… if you're ready sir, we can eat."

He sits himself down on her too-small table with barely enough room for his long legs underneath, to stare at the steaming bowl of ramen and a pair of plastic chopsticks she bought at a 100-yen store in town. Looking at the mismatch of him in his fancy suit is pretty funny, almost painfully so, but still he faces the _garbage food _with nothing but determination.

"_ Bon appetit? _" Ochako asks with an amused smile.

He takes a tentative sniff at the noodles, braces himself, and takes a huge slurp.

She waits with bated breath as he chews on the noodles thoughtfully. "... well?"

He hums. "It's… not bad."

With that, he proceeds to wolf down the ramen at record speed.

"Wha-Director, slow down!" she yelps, as some of the soup splatters all over his suit. "Gosh, are you that hungry? I've never seen you eat like this before!"

He makes an affirmative noise, not stopping once to even talk properly or breathe until he's got all the noodles down. Ochako was legitimately worried that he'd choke at some point.

When he's finally done, he sighs and places his chopsticks respectfully on his bowl. "Thank you for the meal," he says, all composed like he didn't just eat instant noodles like a toddler just now. "It didn't taste like garbage. And you're not a terrible person for eating this."

"Thanks, I think."

"I mean it," he says determinedly. "But it's unhealthy to eat this regularly. I think I should make you consult my personal nutritionist-"

She laughs again just to cut him off before he goes overboard. "I'll be _fine, _Director! I also cook real food, you know."

He pauses. "Do you?"

She nods. "Again, not gourmet. But I know my way around the kitchen too. Next time-"

She cuts herself off. No, she shouldn't like the idea of cooking meals for him this much. And she shouldn't give him any false expectations, because she wouldn't be required to watch out for him when she quits, and she wouldn't have a reason to have him over her house like this.

Todoroki stares at her sudden hesitation. "Just make sure you're taking care of yourself too, Uraraka. I feel responsible for what happens to you."

"I know," she answers quietly. "You'll take care of me too, when I need you. I don't doubt it."

They stare at each other for another tender, fragile moment. Nothing awkward, or scary, or cautious about it this time, unlike before where it feels like he's dangling on the edge of something and ready to drop. It's good, she thinks. Being with him like this is actually…

No... none of this would last. She gathers their bowls without another word.

After cleaning up, they both decide that he needs to get home if they want him to get enough rest before their workday tomorrow. He says his final goodbye to the complaining Victoria and allows Ochako to walk him out the door and to his car. She says a quiet _goodnight, safe trip _as he settles down on the driver's seat, and just as he's ready to go:

"Uraraka."

"Yes, Director?"

He stares at her contemplatively. "Friday night."

Ochako blinks. "... Friday night? Are you asking me about your agenda?"

He shakes his head. "Look forward to it," he answers vaguely before he closes the driver's window in haste.

And so Ochako is left confused on the roadside as she watches Director Todoroki's car zoom off into the night.

* * *

Dabi kicks the door open to a certain ratty dump with a flourish, making it crash against the wall and all the nerdy framed anime posters rattle against them. Exactly four people jump from their seats at the sound of it, while a few others don't even look up from what they're doing.

"Dabi, what the-" Twice turns from a card game he's playing with Toga and Spinner. His head's covered up in a shitty paperbag, as usual. "You okay, man? Wanna talk?-I'll kick your ass for scaring me and Toga-chan like that!"

"I wasn't scared," Toga protests with a sneer. "At least, not like you and Spinner were~"

Spinner rolls his eyes, tattooed face scrunching up hideously. "You're scarier than Dabi's temper tantrums, Toga. But seriously man, what's up? Where the hell did you run off to, anyway?"

Fuck-fuck this noisy place, these nosy people. If Dabi didn't have anywhere else to go, he'd have crashed somewhere else. "None of your business, lizard-face. Fuck off."

"Whoa! Dabi, the fuck-"

There's another mess of noise in the apartment, jeers and curses thrown at him. Seriously, all of them can fuck off. Why the hell is he here again? Only Compress has the good sense to leave him alone and hide his stupid old face behind a newspaper. Shit, he's so fucking irritated, he wants to destroy _something- _

"Dabi," Kurogiri calls from the kitchen. He's facing away from him, so that all he can see is dyed black hair, a tailored suit, a pair of roughened hands wiping glasses. Why the fuck is this guy always doing that? "Try to avoid a scuffle while you're in the common area, please."

There he goes again, being all sage and tranquil, with that stupid… stupid caring tone, acting like a dad even though he doesn't have the right. Just makes him more pissed off than ever.

"It's alright to be angry," Kurogiri continues, not even looking up from his work. "Perhaps it would be best if you isolated yourself rather than agitate everybody else here."

It's a fancy-shmancy way of saying _go to your room _and everyone knows it. Spinner doesn't even hide the mocking chortle from his mouth. Fuck, if he were allowed to punch that scaly-faced bastard in the face-

"You heard him," Shigaraki Tomura mutters from the couch, not tearing his eyes away from his game. "If I mess up this raid, I'm kicking you out."

"Whatever, Leader," he grumbles. Fucking… fucking irritating, he's feeling a lot of frustration and there isn't much he can do about it. Going to his room seems like the best thing to do right now-at least he can tear his hair out in peace there.

Right before he goes into his room, Kurogiri calls out to him again. "By the way, Dabi, you are expecting an email from a potential client. Please let me know once you respond."

He frowns. "Why me?" he asks, because when it comes to setting up gigs or whatever, it's usually Leader's decision, and Kurogiri's job. The other losers sometimes butt in with their opinions, but never Dabi. He doesn't really care about where he plays his music, as long as he gets to write it in the exact way he wants.

Toga, who's looking at their conversation in interest, giggles and butts in, "It's _really _important, Dabi-kun! I'd be really, _really _sad if you say no-"

"Toga-san," Kurogiri interrupts. Still, he doesn't answer immediately-there's an obvious reluctance in his glowing eyes before he sets the glasses down and inhales deeply. "... this _is _important, but the League will do whatever you like," is all he says.

Dabi raises his eyebrows, and looks at Shigaraki for confirmation. The crusty fucker's listening, obviously, but he makes a dramatic show of sighing and dropping his controller before glaring at him.

"You heard him," Shigaraki repeats vaguely. "Just let me know once you make up your damn mind."

What the fuck. Dabi glares at all of them before isolating himself in the quiet of his room, which is a big fucking mess. Beddings rumpled, clothes strewn over the place, his medications spilled over the dresser, like someone robbed the place.

His life is a fucking mess, isn't it. He thought he could show Enji just what he did-make him face the ugly thing Todoroki Touya has become, a punk who makes bad music for movies and gets recognized for it. How terrible that a Todoroki becomes something other than a corrupt businessman, right? Would have been the biggest _fuck you _to Enji if he pulled it off.

But he doesn't have a chance to tell him that because of Shouto. What has that ugly bastard done to his little brother? After all that had happened with Mom, why is he becoming another Enji? Dabi knows that punching his brother in the face won't get him answers, but he really isn't the best when it comes to containing his anger and everyone knows that. He should call Fuyumi later to apologize, provided that she can forgive him enough to talk to him ever again.

So much for sweet revenge. Well, all things considered, it's always best served cold. He needs to cool down if he wants to plan it.

Time to get to that stupid email then. Now that he thinks about it, this isn't the first time that Kurogiri has mentioned it.

He flips his Macbook open, minimizing all the drafts of the angry lyrics that remained untouched since they landed in Japan. It's been so long since he opened up his email that it takes him a couple of tries to get his password right, and as soon as he does he's met with about a hundred unread emails.

Well-not like any of them are life or death anyway. Dabi wonders which one of these is the important one that Kurogiri's expecting as his eyes skim past the newsletters from AFO, the 90s style chainmails from Compress, and-

**[Uraraka Ochako] Request for a Meeting  
**(This email is sent 3 days ago. Respond?)

Dabi immediately clicks on the message. Reading it is surprisingly easy-formal English, straight to the point. The message is signed with her name and title: _Uraraka Ochako, Office of the Executive Director, Endeavor Inc. _

_Huh. The little secretary. _

Somehow, Dabi can't help the sinister smile on his face. It's been three days, but he figures now's a good a time as any to draft a polite response.

_Ochako: _

_Sure. Let's meet up tomorrow at noon. _

_-Dabi_

* * *

The week of shooting is just as harsh and cruel as Momo and Itsuka has expected. For a perfectionist, Honenuki is a flexible guy, with an amount of patience that can't be found in any other film director. All the scenes they filmed were technically difficult and emotional. Plus they shot in locations far from the city from early morning 'til early in the morning, with irregular breaks in the middle.

This is nothing that Momo can't handle, but by the end of the week she's feeling drained. Honenuki had given her and Shindo a free day to recuperate before they work on more scenes at the harsh countryside. She'd been looking forward to having this day to herself all week.

Except, when she finally gets there-

"An interview? Today?" Momo asks weakly. "But it's my only day off…"

At the other end of the call, Itsuka hums affirmatively. "I know. That's why I'm not forcing you to do it if you don't want to."

She's about to make a noise of complaint when the other woman makes a thoughtful noise, "Okay, hear me out. I know how you feel about reporters trying to nab an exclusive interview with you."

She sighs, spread-eagling over her four-poster bed. "I bet they're going to ask about Shouto… or about Shindo-san and I."

Tasteless rumors between her and her single co-star have popped up recently. They're quite troublesome especially since he really wasn't single, as he's been secretly dating his manager Tatami-san for a while. It's been difficult for everyone to keep that under wraps.

"You're usually quick to say _no _to them for me, Itsuka-san," she adds curiously.

Again, Itsuka makes a thoughtful noise. "Yeah, since magazine reporters are all the same. But this one, Momo… I'm not sure what kind of information he wants to get from you, but I'm pretty sure that he isn't interested in your love life for once."

Oh? That's new. "Who is it?"

Itsuka says the name, and Momo instantly understands why she's apprehensive.

"Strange," Momo says, suddenly feeling nervous herself. "I wonder if I did something wrong…"

The other woman laughs. "I worried about that too, but Jirou-one of his editors-told me you have nothing to worry about. They're after something… someone else."

Now that doesn't make her feel any less uneasy. But… "Jirou? Jirou Kyouka?"

"Yes," Itsuka replies, a little surprised. "You know her?"

Purple hair, triangle eyes, punk-rock in all ways but cute as a button. Of course Momo remembered her. They spent an entire semester together. She had her over for a week at home working on a project. "Yes, from UA! I didn't know she stayed in journalism, after all..."

Itsuka chuckles. "Well… she'd be glad to hear that, I think. So-are you still saying no?"

Her tired self is begging her to say no. However, she can't deny that she's intrigued about why this person sought her out. And it's doubly hard to say no to Kyouka, it would be nice to see her again...

So that's how Momo ends up going out to a nondescript cafe downtown, wearing a loose shirt, a pair of shorts, thick glasses, no make-up, and a high ponytail that she hopes makes her look ordinary. She still catches a few glances, but no-one seems to recognize her as Yaomomo. So far, so good.

The agreed meeting time is in thirty minutes, so she indulges herself in a large caramel coffee, a slice of chocolate cake, cheesecake, honeycake, an everything bagel, and a little extra something that will surely earn her a disappointed look from Itsuka were she here-

-She knows how bad this is for her, okay. Even as she takes a seat outside with an ashtray next to her cup of coffee, an unlit menthol cigarette between her lips. But it's been a stressful week, and it's going to be more stressful from here on out. Besides the movie, there's the opening of Endeavor's gallery with a hall dedicated to her father, where she's expected to appear. Thinking about it is already giving her a headache that demanded a lungful of nicotine.

Unfortunately, the world is not kind to her this day. She spends a good five minutes patting herself and her bag frantically for a lighter and realizes that she left hers at home.

_Momo… you clumsy- _

She sighs, pulling out the cigarette from her lips. She tries to convince herself that this is good for her in the long run, even though she already feels the itch in the part of her mind desperate for a smoke. Maybe there's someone here she can ask for a light from...

Just as she thinks of it, she hears the click of a lighter from the table next to her.

Putting some effort into being quiet and awkward, unlike her stage persona, she asks, "Excuse me… do you mind if-"

Curious red eyes behind thick glasses snap to hers, accompanied with a snarl.

She's instantly terrified. "I'm sorry, never mind."

The glare doesn't leave her, and she's beginning to feel uncomfortable. She curses herself for being so brash just for a light-she's recognized now, isn't she? And this man is going to take a photo of her in her disguise, cigarette in hand, and sell it to the presses for a fortune. She considers calling Itsuka for an SOS, until the man surprises her by pulling the chair at her table and setting himself down there.

"You're here early, Ponytail," he says before she can say another word. "Good. We can get this over with real quick."

She blinks in surprise. Spiky blonde hair, red eyes, a black shirt under a leather jacket, a lit cigarette between the hard line of his mouth. Why didn't she recognize him? "Oh. You're Bakugou Katsuki."

He cuts her off with a click of the tongue. "Yeah-keep it down, won't ya? I'm also trying not to get these extras up in my face."

"I… see." Momo surveys the area around them the same time he does. There are a few interested looks in their way, but no looks of recognition. They're still safe. "I'm sorry, you surprised me. I didn't think you would recognize me so easily."

Bakugou shrugs. "Jirou showed me your pictures. Finding you ain't exactly tough shit."

Well, it makes him the first person who recognized her in this uncharacteristic outfit of hers. Also the first man who offers her a light without blinking, even when she desperately tries to keep the cigarette away from plain sight. She's a little terrified of his perceptiveness at this point.

She takes him up on the offer eventually, and the first inhale of smoke in her lungs feels like ambrosia. There's a look of interest in his eyes as she closes her eyes with a thick inhale of smoke before he does the same.

"Thank you." She's surprised at how grateful she is. "I didn't know I needed this until now."

Bakugou grunts. "Trust me, with the things I'm gonna ask you about, you're gonna need more of that."

Momo sighs. She figures he'd get to the point, one way or another. "Itsuka-san says that Kyouka told her as much. So… what is this about, Bakugou-san? I suspect you're going to ask about my father, so let's get the most important thing out of the way: I'm not going to tell you anything that will be detrimental to his reputation."

The man shrugs. "I expected as much Ponytail. But you got nothing to worry about, since it isn't your old man I'm after."

He gestures her to come closer with a crook of two fingers. She's stunned at the crude gesture, but leans in closer, struggles through a shiver that runs down her spine when she listens to the dangerous rasp of his voice tickling the shell of her ear.

"Yaoyorozu Momo. Tell me every single fucking thing you know about Todoroki Shouto."

* * *

Ochako's adrenaline is in a different level of high when she walks into the lobby.

She doesn't know why she feels apprehensive about today. She finally got an answer from Dabi, although it was short notice. Luckily Director Todoroki decided to bring Camie with him to their meetings with the other executives for today, so it all worked out in the end. But things were so busy in the morning that she didn't have a chance to tell him about her meeting with Dabi.

Well, she'll fill him in on all the details later. If she's lucky and the meeting goes well, maybe she can even introduce the two of them personally. She's sure that Director Todoroki would be pleased with the progress.

Problem is, she doesn't know how Dabi looks like. She doubts that she's going to see him as he appears on stage, with a medical mask and the dark jacket that hides most of his face from the collar. When she asked him, all he says is _calm down, I'll find you. _But how is he going to do that? The lobby's flooded with OLs and anyone would be overwhelmed. Should she carry a giant sign with her name on it?

Soon it's five minutes after their set meeting time, and she's feeling antsy. Just as she fishes out her phone to give him a phone call, someone taps her on the shoulder.

She twirls, not really knowing who to expect. She meets cold blue eyes, dark hair, a handsome face with piercings all over.

Her face falls flat immediately. "Oh. It's you."

The strange guy from days ago grins, with a raise of studded eyebrows. "Yep. It's me. Long time."

She gives him a strained smile, reminding herself that she shouldn't be impolite for any reason. "Did you need help again? I can direct you to the concierge if you need assistance."

"Me? Need help?" He laughs coarsely. "Funny, here I thought you were the one who needed help here, Space Cadet."

Mocking her, huh? She can't help the annoyed twitch of her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, you heard me... Secretary Uraraka."

She looks at him in shock. Through the scream of her instincts to run away and the sudden spike of adrenaline in her blood, she manages to squeak, "Wait. How did you know-"

He gestures all around the lobby. "Wouldn't bother going to this dump if you didn't ask me so sweetly in your email to come here…"

Before she can sputter anything else, he takes out his phone and shows him an achingly familiar message on the screen. _Oh…. oh. _

"...Oh-" she stammers, blushing all over. "Y-you're Dabi."

He spreads his arms out in a grandiose gesture. "The one and only. I'd say _hajimemashite, _but this isn't exactly the first time we meet, right?"

She nods dumbly, trying her hardest not to malfunction and/or crumple in shame. "Of course. I didn't know… I didn't realize it was you, Dabi-san, so…"

She'd bow over and over to apologize, because _darn it, _did she already ruin the meeting before this started? But she can't, because suddenly there's something hot around her back. His fingers, covered with all sorts of rings, clamp around her shoulder before she can move.

"Two things, Astronaut," he says, bringing two tattooed fingers up her face. "One, it's just _Dabi, _no shitty honorifics. And two, if you make another unnecessary apology, you can forget about the LoV. Got it?"

His voice is scratchy and strangely terrifying at this distance. Those blue eyes, that commanding tone-she can't put her finger on it, but why does it all seem familiar? With the way he towers over her, all she can do is squeak before she can get another apology out.

"Nice. I think we'll get along," Dabi says with a grin. "This place blows. Let's get outta here."

Unable to protest, she lets him push him out of the lobby and into a pub nearby that she didn't even know existed until now. The place is nearly empty, with only a few _characters _eyeing them suspiciously before getting back to their meals. A tall man with piercing golden eyes takes their order quietly before disappearing behind the counter.

"Relax. I know this looks like that kinda place, but no-one's gonna stab you."

Oh! A joke.. A joke, right? "That's good? I don't think I can go back to the office with a knife lodged in my kidney," she says with a nervous laugh.

A wheezy noise comes out of him, with a smile that isn't the same sardonic one she's seen before. It catches her entirely off-guard. From this angle-it's weird, but if you put a scar over his face, somewhere-

"Nice one, Space Cadet. So… ya wanna talk to me."

Right. They're here for business. Shaking herself free of weird thoughts, she composes herself and gets down to it. "I'll keep it simple, Dabi. The Flameon Art Gallery is having its opening on Monday. We want the League of Villains on opening day to perform for the public."

He smirks. "And I gotta answer for the rest of the League, huh."

Ochako nods firmly. "From what I understand, it would be hard to convince you, because we're with Endeavor."

Dabi raises his eyebrows, one tongue pushing into the hollow of his cheek. He's… _thin, _Ochako notices, with the sort of weathered lines over his face that only happen with a hard life.

"I see." She clears her throat. She can tell this early on that this is going to be a hard sell. "I understand the apprehensions of working with a corporation such as ours, however, if you tell me exactly what those are..."

He cuts her off with a wheeze. It takes her a few moments to realize that he's laughing, loud and long, to the point that he begins to look pained. Ochako watches him carefully, hardly noticing that she's leaning back against her seat, away from him.

"This is perfect… _Secretary Uraraka, _" he says as soon as he's done. His voice is... odd, dangerous. "Well… won't lie, I've been meaning to tell you the truth… but it's a lot easier to show you, I guess."

She eyes him carefully. "What do you mean?"

Up to this point, Dabi's slouching over the table almost like he wants to shrink himself in his leather jacket. He smirks at her, then slowly unzips the front, peels the sleeves off of his arms, and…

Ochako distantly hears herself choke.

There's nothing for her eyes to see but scars-dark, irregular, stretched out all over his arms and in patches over his chest, in startling contrast against the snow-white of unmarred skin. They're old, but obviously painful up to this day. She hasn't seen anything like it.

Dabi hums. "Yeah. You can thank Endeavor for this," he says. "Thanks to an… _accident _in a small neighborhood somewhere-"

"-twenty-four years ago," Ochako utters under her breath.

The smug smile falls right out of his face, to be replaced by actual surprise.

There's a sobering click sounding in her head, almost painful as things fall into place.

Dabi looks up at her, looking just as floored as she is. There's an odd undertone to his voice when he asks, "Huh. So… you know about me, Secretary Uraraka? Did Director Todoroki tell you about me after all?"

Her body trembles as she shakes her head. "N… no. I… I was there too. Near the amusement park… I was there when it happened-"

In between her words, she struggles to remember the small body in a blue cardigan dragging her out of the burning building. The fires falling from the ceiling, the unbearable heat of it.

Dabi's voice is sharp when he speaks again. "You're not fucking with me, are you? Because if you are..."

He stops, jaw slackening when he looks at her again. Her thoughts are scattered all over the place, and it takes her a couple of breaths before she touches her face and feels a line of hot tears flowing from there.

"I'm sorry, I," she stammers, scrambling for her handkerchief. "I'm all right. You… you don't remember me. Of course you don't…"

Her accursed fingers won't stop shaking. The handkerchief falls to the floor, and she bends over too frantically to pick it up. Before she can reach it, she sees painted nails, silver rings, a pale hand carefully taking it for her and pressing the cloth into her palm, almost gingerly.

"Yeah… I don't," he says, not letting her go just yet. His hands are warm around hers. "It must have been a bad time, because I don't remember anything about that incident, and no-one wants to tell me anything about it."

His eyes are really blue, like a pure flame, when he stares at her right in the eyes.

"I thought I was alone all this time," he says. "But… you were there with me, weren't you, Ochako?"

* * *

Needless to say, meeting didn't go along like either of them expected. It's hard to get over the shock of meeting the boy in the burning house who saved her all this time, but even harder to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't at all who she expected.

(_ So he wasn't a Todoroki, after all, _Ochako thinks in shock. It wasn't the Director. It was some random guy who she met by accident. Twice, like it's fate. She doesn't know how to feel about that.

She has to call Bakugou-kun about this, doesn't she?)

But they can't talk about the incident now. Ochako's too overwhelmed, and Dabi looks like he isn't ready to share what he knows, since he didn't expect any of this to happen. They make a deal about meeting each other later to find out more, and get back to the business after that. Strangely enough, things get easier.

"Yeah… I think I wanna see you again," Dabi tells her when he brings her back to the lobby at Endeavor Tower. "So don't worry. The League's gonna mess up your little show."

She smiles at him brightly. "Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to us, so…"

She trails off when Dabi plants two pats on her head, hard enough that she feels her cheeks jiggle with the weight of his hand.

"Tch. Don't even mention it, kid," he says, obviously amused at the widening of her eyes. He looks like he's about to say something else when the warm look in his eyes is immediately replaced by something… sinister.

"What is it?" Ochako asks, before something closes in around her wrist and pulled aside. With a gasp, she falls into someone's arms, face pressed into a firm form in expensive clothes.

Dabi, now more than an arms length away from Ochako, smirks malevolently at the person clinging to her. "Hey, it's the Director himself," he says in amusement.

Ochako strains her neck, mouth dropping in shock when she sees Todoroki Shouto glaring icy daggers across the lobby. "D-Director?" she says breathlessly.

He doesn't look at her, but another tug at her wrist sends her almost careening to his back. He steps in front of her, back looming in front of her face, so close that she can feel the frosty anger emanating from him in waves.

Dabi is obviously unfazed. "Now, Shouto, that's not very nice. Ochako just ate, y'know. She might get sick if you drag her around like that."

Ochako yelps as the grip around her wrist tightens, almost to pain. "What are you doing here, Dabi," Director Todoroki says, voice low.

The other man raises both eyebrows in shock. "Huh? Didn't she tell you? Apparently, your good office needs me for the art gallery thing you're working on… I was going to say no, but Ochako's able to convince me to take the League to your event. Aren't you glad?"

Todoroki stares at him in disbelief, and redirects this toward Ochako. "Uraraka. What is he talking about?"

The sharpness in his tone makes her flinch. But she keeps herself composed when she answers, "It's true, Director. I asked to meet with Dabi so we can get the LoV as the opening act."

Something dangerous flashes in Todoroki's mismatched eyes then. "And you didn't tell me about this," he says again, in that cutting tone.

She swallows hard. "I didn't want to say anything until I was sure, so…"

Dabi laughs from a distance. "And now you have nothing to worry about. So, Ochako, I'll leave it to you to explain everything to the dear Director. And, Shouto-"

Shouto's eyes snap dangerously to the other man's eyes.

He flashes his teeth smugly, eyes unreadable. "I'll see you around… baby brother."

The two of them are left gaping after the dark-haired man as he exits the lobby with all the grace of a lazy man dancing over a pit of flames.

* * *

**_AN: _**_Wow... anytime I have to write Dabi I have such a hard time with dialogue T_T but it's so much fun writing out all those things with Shouto and Ochako... I really debated upon putting the part with the bra because it's such a cheesy corny scene, complete with a smarmy soundtrack in the show but hey,,,, i like cheese, and i like corn T_T so. yeahhhhh  
Happy holidays everyone! :D Thank you for still reading the story! see you in the next update! :D_


	13. See You

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 13: See You**

AN: - mentions of heavy cigarette use in this chapter.  
\- implied abuse in the past also mentioned.

* * *

After the encounter with Dabi, Todoroki led them to the elevators in dead silence. The entire lobby had stared at them in fear, the not-so-subtle whispers of '_ Demon Director' _echoing behind them like a Gregorian chant as they passed by.

He doesn't let her go during the entire ascent to the sixty-fifth floor, although as the elevator goes up, his breathing slows down and the iron grip on her wrist slowly loosens. He still doesn't utter a single word by the time the elevator opens with a _ding, _but at least he's a lot more gentle when he leads her out and when they pass by the rest of the office, who do double-triple takes seeing the strange looks on their faces. Camie, in particular, takes one look at Ochako, the link between her and the Director, and skedaddles out the reception area as quickly as she can.

The door to his office closes behind them, and finally Todoroki releases her in favor of turning his back to her while taking slow, measured breaths.

He's angry, but for what she can't exactly pinpoint. There's far too much to take in, about Dabi and the past and the way these two men knew each other while she's stuck in the clueless middle.

Director Todoroki finally breaks the silence after an eternity. "Uraraka."

Unconsciously, Ochako braces herself. It's easy to imagine that he's more than curious about what happened back there. She isn't sure if she's ready to open up all those old scars and to relieve all that trauma, to be honest. This is going to be a long, uncomfortable conversation.

When he speaks again, his voice is strained. His hands pale as they clasp tightly at his back. "Did I hurt you?"

She blinks in surprise. "Sir?"

"In the lobby," he says softly, form unmoving. "I was violent with you. It was out of line. I'm sorry."

She looks down on her wrist, carefully rubbing the spot where his cold hand tightened. The blanching of her skin where his fingers had wrapped around her is gone. "I wasn't hurt, so no need to worry."

_I was scared, though, _she wanted to say, but stops herself.

"Nevertheless, it was wrong of me. If you file a complaint with HR, or if someone who witnessed it does, I won't deny anything. I will face whatever penalty they see fit," he tells her evenly. "You shouldn't deny anything too, if asked."

"Sir-"

"... I shouldn't hurt you, ever." The quiet way he says it makes her wonder if he says it more to himself than to anyone else. "Not for any reason. I don't want you to go through what I…"

His voice catches on something; he trails off on a seemingly small thought that she doesn't catch anymore. He sighs, quietly.

She's still shaken, but she gathers her courage and walks around him, so that they're three steps apart, face-to-face. After a deep breath, she tells him clearly: "I won't lie to them if they ask me. But I don't know why you acted the way you did. I'd like to know why."

She… honestly isn't sure if she's ready to hear his reasons. She should be surprised that there are things about the Director that she didn't know after nine years of being with him. Then again, the past is a tricky thing for anyone; there isn't really a need to dig up the skeletons of someone's past up until the point they tumble out of the closet and get in someone's way.

Todoroki's eyes flash. He doesn't look like he's ready to say anything, either.

"He wasn't lying when he called me baby brother," he says, after a thick silence.

Through the sudden numbness of her mouth, Ochako keeps herself quiet. With a nod, she urges him to continue.

"Touya. He's the oldest of the four of us," he admits with his eyes downcast, as if he's confessing to a crime. "He's supposed to be where I am today. But he refused, so he was cut off from the family and sent to the US instead. Enji made sure that all traces of him were erased from public record here."

So that was why she never knew who he was before now. "And you don't get along."

Todoroki shakes his head. "He hates that I am where I am right now. And he has good reasons for doing so, to be honest. But since he came back to Japan, he's been more… insistent on telling me why he hates me."

He looks pained when he stops speaking; it's clear to Ochako, then, how the injuries from the night before happened. "I'm sorry," is all she can say to that.

He shakes his head. "I was… surprised to see him interacting with you. It's why I lost all reasoning in the lobby. Nevertheless, it's no excuse to have acted the way I did."

It's a little overwhelming to hear him apologize again. But was that the only reason why he was so angry with his brother?

"Director… I have something to say as well." Maybe now is a good a time as any to open this up anyway, although the way the Director looks at her with more than worry alarms her so. "I… I think I've met Dabi… Todoroki Touya years ago. Twenty-four years ago, to be exact."

She pauses, looks for any flash of recognition, of surprise, of… _anything _in the Director's eyes, but he doesn't move. She goes on.

"I told you that I used to live in the neighborhood near the amusement park. Well, there was a fire there before, and I was... I mean, I don't remember much about it. I forgot how it happened, but I was there when it broke out… _we _were there when it broke out."

"You… and my brother," he says.

She nods. "I think he saved me."

Strange how... unconvinced she sounds, even to her own ears. Maybe because all of it is new, and not everything has sunk in yet. Dabi doesn't remember anything either. He didn't even remember who she was.

Todoroki processes all of this with a careful, neutral expression. His voice sounds too cautious when he says, "Have you remembered everything?"

She shakes her head.

"Do you plan on remembering everything?"

"... yes, eventually."

Surprisingly, he says nothing to stop her. Doesn't deny anything, doesn't put to question her memories. Doesn't do _anything _but to look at her with a grim sort of acceptance.

"Director… how about you?"

The question is out before she can stop herself. Now why would she ask this? She flinches from the flat way he asks, "What about me?"

She is being silly for this, but she can't help her eyes from running over the scar on his face. "I… I don't know why, but I thought the one who saved me... could have been you."

She saw all the evidence with her own eyes: all the burns on Dabi's arms, the weathered lines on his face, all that trauma, all that hatred for Endeavor. Everything makes sense if Dabi was the person with Ochako that day. But all those perfectly rational explanations don't stop the stubborn nagging feeling in Ochako's stomach that insists that there's something wrong with that theory.

And if was him-if it was Todoroki Shouto who took her out of that fire ages ago-then maybe there would be more meaning to them being where they are at this moment: in each other's presence, hopelessly gravitating towards each other despite all the chaos.

But Todoroki shakes his head and answers, "It wasn't me."

Ochako's mouth suddenly feels dry.

"... I'm sorry." His mouth opens hesitantly, choking on some explanations he can't give out just then, before he manages to say: "I wasn't there."

_I'm not the one you're looking for. _

"I… I see." She clears her throat awkwardly. "I'm sorry too. For assuming the wrong things."

Even so, the Director looks at her with a heavy emotion that's hard to identify. "It's all right," he says. His hand raises, almost experimentally, hanging in the air before he places it gingerly over her shoulder, as a gesture of comfort. "It must have been hard, Uraraka."

The grip on her shoulder tightens ever so gently. There's something unsaid there-_ I wish I was there for you- _just the softest whisper of it that Ochako probably imagines in her head, as she bites down on her suddenly trembling lower lip. Strangely, it feels like everything she needs at that moment.

It makes her sure of what she knows now: that there's no need to put any other meaning to the fact that they're standing there together, face to face. Even though the boy who saved her all those years ago wasn't the Director, he's still the one she's in-love with.

"It's okay. It's all in the past," she says, keeping a mild tone that betrays the violent turmoil of emotions surging in her heart. She breathes deeply, erases all the tremulousness cluttering up her mind, and looks up at him with clear eyes. "We have other things we need to do, right? We don't need to talk about all that."

He agrees, obviously relieved. They can talk about the past another day. For now, it's back to business.

"All things considered, I can see why you thought the League of Villains would garner attention for our event," he says, with an obvious grimace of reluctance. "I'm not agreeable to this for obvious reasons, but if the Chairman's office has no problems, we will proceed with your proposal."

Ochako blinks. "Sir, are you sure? We can always get the Big Three on board instead."

Todoroki shakes his head. "Knowing you, you based this decision on hard data. You must have known that the likelihood of success is highest if we get them on board. I also know about their recent collaboration in Yaoyorozu's last movie, so perhaps we can also impress the Yaoyorozu Group with this."

She looks at him skeptically. "But I don't want either of you to be uncomfortable."

"I can set aside our differences for one night. I can promise you as much, Uraraka."

She isn't entirely sure about that yet. But he doesn't look like he's about to change his mind for any reason now. Maybe she can believe him that they can force some peace despite the trauma for just one night.

"All right." She bows to him in a show of gratefulness. "Thank you for agreeing to my impulsive idea, Director Todoroki. I'll make sure we succeed."

He's able to hide the exhaustion when he nods and says, "I know you will."

* * *

To everyone's surprise, the Office of the Chairman approves of having the League of Villains perform on the Flameon Art Center's opening day.

The marketing team did well to promote the event on short notice, but all it takes is for Shigaraki Tomura to tweet _"we'll be at flameon next monday to destroy shit" _for much of Japan to lose their collective minds. The main problem that the company faced now was that the general public was too interested in attending the event. It's clear that they need to increase the security for everyone's sake.

"We can manage as much," Shinsou tells the rest of the team in an emergency meeting called by Todoroki the next day. "We need some extra people to watch over the orchestra, too."

Right. No one knows how they managed it and why they did it in the first place, but The League's suddenly invited the Musutafu Academy's orchestra for a collaboration. That's another reason why people are going bananas-no-one imagined that these guys, who rooted for trash years ago (at least according to public imagination) would suddenly want kids from a local school to perform the soundtrack to _The Goddess of Creation _for the public, for free.

It's unprecedented, but it's all people can talk about. The LoV certainly knows how to garner public interest.

"Do you need help with any of those, Shinsou-kun? I know logistics isn't on us, but if you do I am willing to help." Monoma asks, tone cloying and controlled despite the accompanying _thud _of his foot over Mina's, who wasn't subtle at all in teasing him all throughout the meeting.

"Nah, we're good. But thanks." Amazingly, Shinsou's oblivious to everything. Or maybe he's just good at pretending that he is. "Apart from our other responsibilities, I've got a special interest in making sure the orchestra's safe."

"A special interest?" Iida asks.

"Mhm. Eri's there, see."

The members of the office look at each other oddly before looking at the still-oblivious Shinsou in unison.

"The kid I'm taking care of," Shinsou clarifies boredly.

There's a number of awful sounds around the office-Monoma the most audacious of them with the cough of a dying man, followed by gasps and cut-off chokes from the rest of them. Ochako can't help her jaw from dropping, and even Todoroki's eyes widen at the news.

"Shinsou-kun, are you a single parent?!" Mina sputters with a slam of manicured hands on the desk, not even trying to be courteous. "How-how did I not hear about this?!"

"Uh… I dunno, but-"

There's a soft cough from the doorway; everyone turns and meets curious big red eyes, a round face, long white hair in elegant braids. Ochako's heart softens at the sight; for a moment, she wonders if she's looking at a fairy. There are soft _aaws _from Mina, Camie, and Kirishima-kun as she carefully steps in.

"... a small person," Todoroki points out.

"Sir, they're called _children," _Ochako quips, glad she isn't the only one who gives him an odd look for that remark. "Hi, are you lost? How did you get here?"

"Eri-chan," Shinsou calls in mild panic, answering all their questions. "Sorry about this, Director-hey, I told you to wait at my office, right? How'd you get here?"

The girl-Eri-chan_ , _apparently-softly pads inside the conference room without an ounce of fear. From the size of her she might be in grade school, probably second or third grade. She's dressed in a private school uniform and carrying a bright purple backpack in the shape of a cat that's almost as big as her, and a violin case.

Eri-chan shakes her head. "Sorry, 'Toshi. It's cold in your office, and I can't reach the AC. Can I..."

Her voice is tiny, face round and eyes big as she looks at the rest of the office and she's just-she's _so cute _, and the way she hugs Shinsou-kun- _oh my god, _why does he suddenly look a hundred times more attractive? Ochako can barely contain it; she could have sworn that the rest of the table, including Iida-kun, swooned at the sight.

The moment breaks when Eri points at the eerily calm Director Todoroki, with her little mouth open in curiosity. "Oh! It's the Demon Director!"

While the deathly chill of doom descends upon the other executives in the room, Shinsou coughs like he's on the brink of an asthma attack. "Eri, wh-Director, sorry, I don't know where she got that from-"

Eri looks up at him innocently with a shake of her head. "That's what the people outside said! They said that Toshi-_ nii _is meeting the half-and-half Demon Director… isn't that your name?"

Oh, so she's a little sister. That definitely makes more sense, but it doesn't seem like anyone in the office really cared at this point that Shinsou isn't a single father like they thought, because everyone's quaking in fear. Ochako has half a mind to get all the names of the "people outside" and to make sure they remain outside for the rest of their work lives.

To everyone's surprise, Todoroki doesn't seem the least bit irritated when he answers, "My name is Todoroki Shouto. I'm not a demon, but I am a director."

"Like in the movies?"

"No. Like in a corporation," he says, before the paling Shinsou can interrupt their conversation. "I manage and direct all of the business ventures of this company. The way the offices are structured is as follows: other offices send their proposals, financial reports, projected earnings, and after the necessary assessments-"

"-he's the boss, in other words!" Ochako interrupts, glancing at the Director meaningfully to _stop talking complicated business jargon to a third grader, for cryin' out loud! _"And Shinsou-kun's from a different office, but he might work with us soon! Isn't that neat?"

There are shocked looks from the others in the office-_ oops, _no-one was supposed to know about Shinsou's transfer yet, but Eri in particular brightens up at this. "That's awesome! Toshi-nii's gonna work for the Demon Director!"

"I'm not a demon-"

"Nii-chan, you didn't tell me you were working for a_ demon king! _" Eri says, tugging excitedly on Shinsou's coat, unwitting of the corpse-like pallor over her older brother's face. "Like in _Demon Player! _Why didn't you tell me?"

"Now now little girl! Stop telling lies! The Director is certainly no demon!" Iida declares with a stern chop of his hand. "Demons are evil creatures who feed on the blood and energies of human beings! Moreover, they are mere myths! Fiction! The Director is certainly neither of those! Demons are malevolent beings who-"

Eri protests loudly. "No! Demons are _cool! _They're strong and they beat bad guys up… Demon kings are extra cool because they have lots of demon minions who do other cool stuff too!"

Ochako didn't need to strain to hear everyone's oddly depressed thoughts: _So we're just demon minions to this kid, huh… _

"I see. That sounds acceptable to me," Todoroki says.

_He's enjoying this a little too much, isn't he? _

Shinsou tries not to look too much like his soul left his body when he weakly says, "Eri, come on, we'll talk about anime later. Let's get back to my office, huh?"

"You're no fun," Eri says with a puff of her cheeks. "See you, Mr. Demon Director! You're super cool!"

"'Kay." It's definitely off-putting to see him wave back to the little girl with unwavering professionalism. "See you."

Shinsou can only bow once more in apology before throwing his little sister over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and zooming out of there in the speed of light. The meeting is over after that, with the other members of the staff hurriedly taking their papers and laptops out to escape the Director. Only Ochako is left waiting to accompany him back to their office.

"That went well," Todoroki says. He had a lot of doubts getting the League on board, but now that things are rolling it's apparent that things are working in their favor. Ochako sighs in relief.

Just when Ochako's about to babble something about the LoV, Todoroki suddenly talks again out of nowhere. "... I've always hated being called Demon Director. I ignored those remarks because it's a waste of time, but I wondered if anyone valued the work I do. And I wondered if I was really that cruel."

He looks into his hands then. Ochako remembers, with painful clarity, how he had gripped her arm just yesterday ago. People had called him _Demon Director _then, too.

"... but I know you don't think of me that way." Todoroki looks at the empty table with a wistful look. "It's the same for the rest of them. To me, that's all that matters. But it's strange. Being told that Demon Director was _cool _somehow made me feel… reassured. Is that strange?"

Ochako laughs. "I don't know, but that's good, isn't it? Being a demon doesn't have to be a bad thing, after all. As for me, I've always been proud to be the Demon Director's secretary."

"_ Angel _secretary," he corrects, after a thoughtful pause. "That's what they call you. It's an interesting way to describe us."

Ochako blinks. "Is it bad?"

"No, not at all," he says. "I've always thought it was right for you."

They make the rest of the way up, with Ochako trying her hardest not to blush at the Director's blunt words. _He keeps doing this, _just saying things that make her heart want to fly out of her chest. She's sure that he's doing it on purpose, although the dull look on his face says otherwise.

"Uraraka," he says, right before they separate at the door of his office. "Tonight, do we-"

"Tonight sir?..." She checks her phone quickly to double-check their schedules. "Nothing is happening tonight. Is there-"

"-no. I mean… yes." He stares at her, mouth twitching with an apparent internal struggle. "I'm assuming that there is nothing happening for you tonight, as well."

She had planned to clean the bathroom after a month of putting it off, but she isn't going to tell that to the Director. She shakes her head.

"Good." Another beat of awkward silence. "So you are… allowed… to see me later."

"Allowed…?" Is he setting up another meeting for work? They didn't have any urgent tasks to finish, but something else must have come up. "If you need me there, I'll go, Director. So-

"No. Only if you want to. I mean-" His brows furrow in the way that they do when things aren't going the way he wants. "There will be dinner and drinks for two later at the Alderaan Grand. I made the reservations, which is why I know."

"... okay?"

"I will be there," Todoroki says. "You can join me, if you like."

Ochako blinks slowly one more time before her brain catches up to what he's saying. Dinner and drinks for two, a restaurant downtown, _see me later only if you want to. _It's ridiculously roundabout considering it's Director Todoroki she's talking to, but-

_A date, you dum-dum. He's asking you out on a _DATE!

_(Properly, this time!) _

When it finally hits her, Ochako chokes, floats, screeches in excitement, and hits herself in the head and in the gut a hundred times in her imagination before she catches herself enough to say, cool as a cucumber, "Oh. Of course. I'd love to join you, Director Todoroki."

There's a moment where the Director stares at her blankly, before his mouth gives way to the tiniest of smiles that makes it hard for her to keep her cool.

"Seven PM then," he says, tone too formal for the steadily brightening smile that's really giving her heart a hell of a time now. "See you, Uraraka."

She bows, quietly walking out of his office and shutting the door as quietly as she can. When she's sure she's all alone in the reception area, she gives in to the strangest urge to scream quietly while doing a happy little dance that's the stuff of blackmail material if anyone were to see.

Luckily, she doesn't notice the Director looking over his shoulder and smiling at the scene fondly before going back to his work.

* * *

Katsuki knew he shouldn't underestimate Yaoyorozu Momo for any reason, but _damn _this woman is _tough. _

He knew he was off to a rough start by the way her face darkened at the very mention of that half-and-half bastard's name. "Oh. I had assumed we were going to talk about something that actually mattered, Bakugou-san."

One hand taps ashes off her cigarette. Elegantly, purposefully. Katsuki isn't a subtle person, so he can't imagine how she makes the very concept of _displeasure _clear with this one motion.

He shrugs. "What'd you expect? You think I came to talk to Yaoyorozu Momo about the weather?"

"Certainly not." There's a quirk at the corner of her lip-a not-quite sneer, with just enough discontent to remain polite. "I just thought you were a more… _astute _journalist, that's all. Who would have thought that Ground Zero, who did those brilliant exposes on organized crime, suddenly wants to write an expose on my _love life_?"

It's clear that she has a talent for this-expressing many things with the subtlest of movements. Impressive, really, but obviously designed to tick Katsuki off, to make it apparent that he's going to get exactly nowhere with his line of questioning.

"Let's keep this simple, Ponytail. I really don't give a shit if you tell everyone that I'm a tabloid writer." He takes out his recorder and slams it on the table so hard the ashtray almost rattles itself off the uneven plane of the shitty cafe table. "But I'm the one who's gonna ask all the questions. All you need to do is tell me the truth. Comprende?"

She frowns. "Alright. We'll do this your way."

Katsuki proceeds to ask her questions about Todoroki Shouto-the basic-ass shit like how they met, when they got together, how they got together, when the break-up happened and why. Yaoyorozu answers them all under ten words or less each time, each response more lackluster than the last.

She finishes exactly two cigarettes during the entire bout. "Yes, we broke up on good terms. Are we done?"

Katsuki doesn't really give a shit about their dating life-in fact, it makes him sick to the stomach from how much he doesn't give a shit-but this line of inane questioning has a different purpose.

So, no, they're not done.

"Huh. Sounds like a lotta bullshit to me."

She raises one delicate eyebrow, takes his zippo without even asking for his permission to light up her third stick. "I see. Can't imagine why; I've answered all your questions properly."

He leans his forearms over the desk, peering at her until she flinches from the intensity of his gaze. "You're a fuckin' liar Ponytail and you know it," he drawls, reveling in how offended she looks. "I'm impressed. Makes me wonder if you're that good an actress, or if all the other bozos who interviewed you so far are just really shitty at their jobs."

This time, she doesn't hide the distaste on her face. "What gain could I possibly have from doing that? He's thriving where he is, and as for me…"

He'll give it to her-she does the dramatic, pained pause and everything to sell this bullshit. He'd roll his eyes, but he really needs to get past this sorry lie as soon as he can.

"Well, I'd like to say I'm managing quite well without him," Yaoyorozu says with a more practiced smile. "Whether or not we split on bad terms, it really has no bearing on how things happened."

"I wasn't talking about _just _your break-up. I'm saying, your entire relationship is BS. "

"... excuse me?"

He exhales in her space purposefully, making sure he's an unbearable as he can be. "Yaoyorozu Momo, the only direct descendant of Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, and Todoroki Shouto, the heir of Endeavor Inc. A fuckin' match made in capitalist hell, am I right? And you're telling me a match like that goes _kaput _without anyone doing anything about it?"

She narrows her eyes at him. "It happens, Bakugou-san. Just because we're similar in background doesn't mean that we're compatible."

Katsuki leers at her purposefully. It's very very subtle, but there's a wobble at the end of her sentence that tells him that he's getting somewhere.

"So if it were up to you, how long should that stupid pretend relationship with Todoroki Shouto have lasted?"

Her eyes flash dangerously, and Katsuki doesn't miss the involuntary twitch of the corner of her mouth. "You-" she inhales, schools her features into neutrality. "-are desperate, aren't you, Bakugou-san? Resorting to blatant lies just to rile me up? I thought you were better than this."

"Believe me, Ponytail, it's gonna get better," he says, smirking like it's a promise. "Better for me since this is gonna help me get to the bottom of things, and better for you since you can finally drop the act that you actually _liked _the guy. Won't that be nice?"

"I don't see the point of this," she says, eyes darkening. "I do not dislike Shouto. He is a dear friend of mine."

The woman's fuming-she finally lets go of that regal posture she has about her and stares at him with unbridled contempt. Katsuki thinks this is a better overall look on her, to be honest.

"For a girl who famously rebelled against her father to go to fuckin' Juilliard, I thought you'd have more balls to call your ex a dick, at least," he says boredly. "I mean… the fucker broke up with you using his secretary, right? I don't think even the nicest person on the face of the earth would be so kind."

Yaoyorozu sputters, losing more of that damned composure of hers. "How did-who told _you- _"

Katsuki smirks, cutting her off with the wave of a hand holding a burning cigarette. He isn't going to tell her that it was her beloved manager who slipped up. He'll give it to Jirou and Kaminari, those two can make _anyone _blabber on and on about important stuff without them noticing.

"Don't worry, no-one else knows. No-one else also knows about the part where you didn't put up a fight. It was almost like… you _wanted _the bastard to break-up with you. Because it's a sham. Because you did all that to make a fool outta the public."

She stares at him levelly, the effort to keep her face still obvious. Still, Katsuki doesn't miss the way her fingers shake as she puts the lipgloss-stained filter of her cigarette back in her mouth.

"... you're wrong," is all she says. A long trail of smoke flows out of a delicate mouth, and she stares at it pensively. "I didn't want the break-up. It has nothing to do with the public, but..."

He raises his eyebrows knowingly. Yaoyorozu glares at him.

"... our relationship kept Father and Uncle Enji quiet. We were allowed to do the things we wanted to do. Well," she cuts herself off with a frown. "At least, allowed _me _to do the things I wanted. But Shouto didn't need to know that."

Katsuki smirks. "You used the bastard. And he didn't even know it. Fuck, that's _sneaky, _Yaoyorozu."

"I don't appreciate your wording. But I don't deny it." Yaoyorozu cocks her head at him, a new curious glint in her eyes. "He had… _important _reasons to break up with me, and I did not force him to stay. I feel no guilt, nor resentment over what had happened. Although, I supposed Shouto had the same verbal lashing from Uncle Enji as I had from Father."

This is different from what Katsuki had expected, but they're finally going in the direction that he wanted the interview to go. "So he asked you out 'cause Todoroki Enji said so?"

There's a sudden thoughtfulness in her gaze. "You misunderstand. I was the one who asked him out. In front of a number of important people in the business. A setting where he couldn't say _no, _in other words."

Katsuki whistles lowly. "Damn. You're one manipulative motherfucker."

"I prefer the term… _clever. _" She stares at him with more discerning eyes now. "But you're not the least bit interested in that, are you? You wanted to find out if I resented him or not, so that I'd give you all the dirty details you're looking for. You're the manipulative one between us, Bakugou-san."

Katsuki smirks at her. "So you figured it out. Not surprised. You're not stupid at all, Ponytail."

"No… not at all," she agrees haughtily. "Needless to say, I refuse to say anything that will implicate him in whatever wrongdoing you think he might have done. Our conversation is over."

"You got all this wrong, Ponytail," he says, voice suddenly quiet that even _he _is taken aback. "Ain't doing this to aggravate either of you. I'm doing this to get to the bottom of things. A lot of people are… traumatized, y'see, including your shitty excuse of an ex. I'd like to find out why."

Yaoyorozu, who was in the middle of gathering all her things to leave him, stops dead in her tracks.

"Trauma," she repeats, voice harrowed.

He nods.

She stares down, shoulders sagging slowly from a weight that wasn't there before. "I see. Is this… to help Shouto?"

Truth be told, he doesn't know. Katsuki definitely isn't doing this to directly help that half-and-half bastard, but helping people out is why he searches for the truth so aggressively in the first place. Still, you can have the purest intentions when you dig up the dirt on someone's past, but eventually people are going to get hurt. He just hopes it isn't going to be Uraraka. Or that half-and-half bastard, because she's gonna feel that too.

(Much to his chagrin.)

He shakes all those annoying thoughts out of his head to look at the actress before him. "Yaoyorozu Momo. Do you know about a fire that happened twenty-four years ago?"

* * *

The conversation he has with Yaoyorozu ended up much longer. It was so long that they had to move out of the cafe and into Yaoyorozu's apartment at a nondescript neighborhood-a fancy thing with high ceilings and French interiors jarringly incompatible with the fancy porcelain ashtray they fill with three packs of smokes between them as the night wears on.

(Shit, he might actually get lung cancer after this story is over.)

It turns out that Yaoyorozu doesn't know anything about the fire, but her face had blanched at the mention of _twenty-four years _that Katsuki was able to dig out a significant amount of information from it. Surprisingly, Yaoyorozu is more involved in this shit than he could ever imagine. It makes him proud of his instincts, but also makes him hate the fucking dickwads controlling this country's wealth more than ever.

"Twenty-four years ago, Father wanted me to meet one of the Todoroki children. The heir of Endeavor, to be exact. It didn't happen-instead, on the day of the meeting, Father came home with all his staff, looking very angry."

There's a far-away look in her eyes as she says this, her hand gripping her other arm almost protectively as she blows another puff of smoke. "I wondered if it was because I didn't want to meet the boy… I was sort of afraid of him, you see. He didn't seem very friendly, and he always frowned when he saw me."

"And you didn't wanna be sold to the fuckin' Todorokis," Katsuki says.

"And I didn't want to be sold. Yes," Yaoyorozu concurs, sadly.

She goes on to tell him that Yaoyorozu Yoshinori declared very loudly in his household that their relations with the Todorokis are over, and that she was going to meet the Shishida heir instead. She wasn't too keen on this idea either, but as long as she went along with what that bastard wanted her to do, she got to do whatever she liked in between.

But one day, Yaoyorozu Yoshinori rushed out of his rare teatime with Momo in favor of an impromptu business trip somewhere. She didn't know what the fuck happened, but he comes back, calm and collected, and tells Momo that she's meeting the youngest Todoroki instead.

"Wait," Katsuki interrupts with a sharp gaze. "_ Instead? _Ain't that half-and-half bastard the heir to the throne?"

Yaoyorozu nods serenely. "Not until that point. It's usually the oldest male child who inherits big businesses like this, Bakugou-san. Unfortunately, we're in that sort of society."

He ponders on this briefly. "So you were going to be set-up originally with Natsuo."

She looks at him oddly. "No. Why would it be Natsuo-san?"

Katsuki blinks. "Why not? Unless your old man wanted to set you up with Fuyumi-"

"Of course not. Neither of them were considered as the heir," Yaoyorozu says, the odd look not going away. "Touya-san was the heir until twenty-four years ago."

Katsuki actually, physically chokes on this.

Touya-there's another fucking Todoroki? What-how did he miss this-how did _anyone miss this? _

Yaoyorozu considers the look of confusion on his face. "Oh. Of course you wouldn't know. Touya-san was… _disowned, _to put it lightly."

Lightly?! "How the fuck did that happen? What happened to the guy? Did they kill him?"

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I… don't know. Father never mentioned him again, and Mother forbade me from asking other questions. Either way, it was easy for the rest of the world to forget about Touya-san. Both Father and Uncle Enji have the means to wipe anyone's names off of the public consciousness."

Katsuki can't help the look of disgust on his face. Yaoyorozu doesn't tell him off for it, and continues.

She was told to play nice with Shouto and to say nothing about the scar on his face and about his recent hospital stay. Her mother told her it was all an accident at home because Shouto was careless while playing with a cat. It gave everyone a good reason to watch over them with the precision of an electron microscope, in her words, and all the sense of suffocation that comes with it.

What follows is a careful, controlled friendship during their childhood and teen years, and then university. They got along well and she 'valued' him, though in a different way that their parents imagined. When there were already talks of betrothal and marriage, she decided to go to the US before anyone could stop her, thus stopping that BS right in its tracks.

Katsuki grumbles. "And you never knew how he got that scar."

"I can only assume certain things. You say that the fire in that neighborhood twenty four years ago probably involved Shouto. And I say twenty-four years ago, Todoroki Touya got disowned, and I meet Shouto for the first time with a new burn scar over his face."

She raises her finger and draws a line in between two distant dots hanging in the air. Katsuki frowns.

"It's utterly unscientific, I know," she admits quietly. "But that's the best I have now, Bakugou-san."

Right. She never saw Touya again, wouldn't recognize him even if she did. And she never met the other important person in the case, if not the most important one-Todoroki Rei.

But that says a lot about the Todoroki situation. It's clear that these two families were close enough to plan an arranged marriage for decades. But the only Yaoyorozu child has never even met the Todoroki matriarch. What kinda shit happened that forced Enji to keep his wife a secret from the world?

"I remember asking Shouto about her a few times," Yaoyorozu says quietly. "But he never answered me. I'm sure something terrible must have happened, but it's hard to draw conclusions with that sort of silence."

And so after that their conversation was truly over. Yaoyorozu calls it a night and escorts Katsuki out of the premises. She stares at him quietly at the doorway before asking, "You'll find out what really happened, won't you?"

Katsuki has nothing else to say to that but, "Of fucking course. Who the fuck do you think I am?"

She winces hearing all the foul words, but only responds with a regal _good night. _The door closes, and Katsuki is left alone with his nicotine-addled thoughts on the long, quiet walk home. The most prominent of them being:

_Fuck. _

This situation is more fucked up than he thought. Investigating this case is a direct challenge not only to Todoroki Enji, but to the head of the Yaoyorozu Group as well. Jirou's instincts about how this might fuck up his career might be more accurate than he thought.

His career is one thing though. The thing that already happened to Todoroki Touya, another. He isn't sure yet, but it's possible that Touya was pushed out of existence because of the incident. Todoroki Rei seems to be dealt with too. Katsuki doesn't know what 'dealing' means in this case, but he isn't about to risk the other person involved in this shit show, not if he can help it.

He can't help himself when he digs out his phone and dials a number he swore he wouldn't call until the time was right. He isn't thinking straight, but he knows it's all the adrenaline and the cigarette smoke burning his lungs with fervor.

"_ Hello? Bakugou-kun?" _

And yeah, fuck it, he probably misses her, all right? So sue him.

"Yo, Roundface," Katsuki says, hating how tremulous his voice sounds. "Where the fuck are you?"

* * *

Ochako rushes out of the office, hops in and out of the train, and bulldozes her way into her apartment and into her closet in record time, all while engaging herself in a fierce metaphysical debate about the state of her being and the fact that she's going out with Todoroki Shouto that evening.

_Maybe it's not a date, _she had told herself about half a hundred times during the jarring sprint home, _but… no, it might not be a date. It definitely isn't a date. The Director wouldn't be so charming. It's not a date- _

She repeats the odd mantra even as she digs through her modest wardrobe. It's not a date, but, the Director has seen him in this outfit ten times for the past two months… and this one is too plain. Too pink. Too blue. Too flowery. Too… short, he's seen her in shorts on their first date, didn't he? Not that this is a date too, because it's _not a date, but- _

Ochako's beginning to panic. Why was her so closet so sad and lame?! Reiko-chan had a point giving her all those lectures about her fashion sense, after all!

In desperation she digs even deeper through the unfolded mess of clothes, wishing that she had more time to shop for clothes. Repeating her clothes over and over might have been good for saving money, but it's not for making good impressions on dates, even though this isn't a date.

Oh, but repeating clothes-that reminds her of something.

There's a little corner in her closet where the most expensive cloth-the Aoyama Yuuga dress that the Director gave her a few holidays ago-is zipped up in a protector, having never been worn before. It's a pretty thing-a short dress in pink, that shows off her arms and silhouettes her figure nicely, a fact she only finds out now that she's trying it out for the first time.

It fits her properly, to her surprise. With a few modest jewelry, including the necklace he gave her, she actually looks more than decent.

Yes. It's not a date, but… this will do.

She gets to work preening herself. She's in the process of making sure she doesn't smell like the sukonbu she had for a snack that afternoon when her phone rings.

Ochako takes note of two alarming things that moment-one, she has thirty minutes to go before she has to meet the Director, and two, Bakugou Katsuki is calling her.

She stares at her phone for a beat, wondering about the sudden numb feeling overwhelming her out of nowhere. "Hello, Bakugou-kun?"

_"Yo, Roundface." _The familiar rasp of his voice tickles her ear-it's much raspier tonight to the point of breathlessness, making her eyes widen in worry. _"Where the fuck are you?" _

"I'm just about to go out," she answers, deciding then that she really _should _be leaving now. "Are you okay? You sound-"

_"I'm good. Real fuckin' good. Hey, listen-I need to see you ASAP. Can I?" _

"Oh-tonight?" Should she tell Bakugou-kun about tonight? She can, technically, but knowing the temper of the two men involved, she thought that they'd rather not. "I have an important meeting to get to at seven. I'm not sure if I can see you… Maybe tomorrow?"

Bakugou makes a grumbling noise at the other end. _"You sure, Roundface? It's about the thing we're looking into." _

Ochako stops in her steps. "You mean…?"

_"Yeah. Yeah. _" There's the sound of people around him and the mechanical sound of the train. _"I don't wanna tell you over the phone, but I think you gotta hear this, considering where you are right now. It'll be a few minutes, tops. What do you say?" _

He must mean that it's related to Endeavor. There must be something urgent that he's expecting to happen. "Oh… if it's that important," Ochako relents, biting her lower lip. "I'm going to the Alderaan Grand now. We can talk outside for a few minutes."

_"That's great. _" There's an unmistakable grin to his voice then. _"See you, Roundface." _

And so, Ochako rushes to the Alderaan Grand in triple time. It's ten minutes to seven when she does a light sprint in her wedges in front of the fountain at the entrance, where Bakugou is already waiting.

He has his back turned to her when she approaches him. When he faces her, she sees windswept hair, with a thin sheen of sweat over his brow that tells her he also rushed there in a hurry. He smells more of a chimney than the last time they met. Ochako has a very bad feeling about this.

"Hey, Cheeks. Wow, you're extra pretty tonight, what the fuck," he says, apparently unminding of his own disheveled state.

Ochako tightens her mouth in response. "What happened, Bakugou-kun?"

"Nothing, nothing… Listen, I-" He looks all levels of stressed, none of the easy confidence that he usually has. She's nothing but worried as she watches him fumble over his own words for once.

Finally, he's able to form words. "... I dunno how else to say this, Uraraka. You gotta get out of Endeavor, right now."

Ochako's eyes widen in shock. "Wh-right now? But, I have two weeks to go-"

"No, you don't get it." Bakugou runs his hand through spiky hair, almost anxiously. "I found out some more things. I don't have everything yet, but it's big, okay? And if you stay there next to Todoroki Shouto, I'm not sure how safe you'll be."

She bites her lower lip tensely. "How can you say that? You don't have everything yet, right?"

"I don't, but I have enough." Bakugou leans in closer to her, looking left and right before starting to grit out words that make her heart race for the wrong reasons. "There're too many important people involved, not just Enji. The Yaoyorozu head's in this too. If you know about what could have happened to someone called Todoroki Touya-"

She cuts off a choke in her throat.

"-let's just say… I don't want anyone finding out about you, Cheeks," Bakugou mutters as his red eyes look into hers intensely. A hand is on her shoulder, grasp desperate as he speaks with uncharacteristic gentleness. "If those… _giants _find out that you were there to witness the fucking crimes that might have happened there, then-"

"-Uraraka?"

She whips her head to the direction of the uncharacteristically soft voice coming from the other side.

Todoroki Shouto stares at her, and then at Bakugou, an unreadable expression on his face.

"_ Fuck, _" Bakugou curses under his breath. "You… and him-"

Ochako doesn't know what to expect, but with the tension palpably rising from either side of her, she can only predict a certain number of things happening. Most of them involve Todoroki and Bakugou beating each other's lights out, and none of them involve her stepping away from all of this in peace.

"... I'm sorry," Todoroki says.

… she definitely isn't expecting this.

"I didn't know I was intruding." His gaze is suddenly stone-cold that it hurts. "But it's all right. I understand."

"Director-"

"The reservations have been cancelled. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

What does he understand? Why isn't he angry? Why does he sound _hurt _? No, this is all wrong, please. What was she saying? His name? Some variant of _you got it wrong, you don't understand, it's not what you think, Bakugou-kun just got here-please don't go- _

_Please don't go- _

It's over in an instant. There isn't a single ounce of hesitation in him when he turns around and leaves them, not once looking back no matter how many times Ochako stumbles over her words.

Long after the doors close behind him, the air remains cold and stifling-a striking contrast to the searing heat of the tears that flow out of her eyes, beyond her control.

* * *

_AN: I... don't know how to feel about this chapter. I tried to be fair in the narration but! needless to say, the discussion in the bad effects of their trauma definitely isn't over.  
ahhh, sorry that this chapter is so heavy on dialogue and everything else. I hope you still enjoyed it. thank you very much for the kind words last chapter and I hope this one is also worth the wait;;; see you in the next one!_


	14. It's Not A Bad Thing

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 14: It's Not A Bad Thing**

Ochako didn't know where she'll end up in the evening. A naive part of her looked forward to the drive back home with Director Todoroki. He'd be just the right mixture of suave and awkward as he was the first time. She'd look up at him at the doorstep, maybe fix his crooked tie for him. She'd ask if he'd like to stay a while longer for coffee, and even though the instant coffee she has is far from the Italian or Turkish coffees he preferred, he wouldn't say no. He'd say something dumb like "3-in-1 coffees have an unacceptable glycemic index. But I'll drink it, since you offered. And I'll enjoy it," and he'd probably burn his tongue trying to drink it all and she'd panic but, wouldn't she love to see him make himself at home again?

Other things can happen, of course-the ending isn't restricted to her little apartment, or to bad coffee. He can take her to his place or Paris or the moon-he's ridiculous enough to attempt something grand like that and act like it's nothing-and even though Ochako would make a fuss about it, she thinks she can accept anything as long as he stayed with her.

But he didn't.

In the end she ends up drinking some bitter cocktail at some pub she can't recall the name of with another man. Not a bad man, by any means, nor an annoying one. Just… not Director Todoroki.

Bakugou Katsuki's got his own drink as he leans against the space next to her. She feels the cut of his sharp gaze on her as she takes a sip of her drink. It was some sort of highball that she doesn't remember ordering. For all she knew, he picked it for her while she tried to keep her head above her own misery.

After a long silence, Bakugou asks, "So were you gonna tell me that I had no chance with you, or was I supposed to crash your date with that Icyhot Bastard myself?"

"It wasn't a date," she mumbles into her highball.

Bakugou clicks his tongue. "So that fancy dress and that pretty hair-those reservations for that fucking Michelin 3-star restaurant uptown? That stupid look on his stupid face when he saw us together? It wasn't because you two were going out?"

Ochako shakes her head. It's much easier to accept that it really wasn't, because this is better in the long run. With her stupid daydreams about the Director, it was easy to forget about the things going on around them-their project, the past, her resignation, how everything's clashing painfully together. Maybe that's why she couldn't say anything when Director Todoroki walked away from her.

She would have spent a wonderful night with the Director, but a wonderful night is so short. They're from two different worlds. It wasn't going to work out.

"Jesus Christ," Bakugou grumbles sourly, taking a sharp swig of his drink. "Y'know, I was half-expecting that bastard to fight me again. I was ready to beat his ass, but he didn't even try this time. Did he suddenly decide you weren't worth it to mess up his stupid three-piece suit?"

She'd rather not know what he was thinking-at least, not right now. "We don't need to talk about him, Bakugou-kun. What about you? What's this about me needing to quit as soon as possible?"

"Yeah," he murmurs, with a sense of foreboding. "Yaoyorozu Momo told me shit that leads me to believe that we're into further shit if I pursue this story any further."

"Yaomomo? How is she involved?" she asks incredulously.

His eyes go all over the small crowd in the pub, making sure nobody can hear them. "She's fucking rich. That's how she's involved."

"Huh? Bakugou-kun, you can't just involve her in something like this!"

Involving Yaoyorozu Momo in a crime that happened years ago will imply, more than anything, that her father is involved, and Yaoyorozu Yoshinori isn't just any old scion whose name you can carelessly invoke. There are rumors that he has connections to organizations in the grey areas and beyond. Those kinds of rumors will always plague people in the higher echelons of society, but it's hard for even Ochako to dismiss them as just harmless rumors.

But Bakugou, who should know better, doesn't back down. "Dunno what you know about that dumpster fire of a relationship between Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, but it's not what you think it is. All of it's arranged. Yaoyorozu met him twenty-four years ago."

At the mention of _twenty-four years, _Ochako's jaw drops in disbelief.

He scowls at her just to show her how much he isn't kidding. "Believe it. Her old man arranged a fuckin' playdate between her and Icyhot in the fucking _hospital. _She says that on the day they met, they treated him for a burn injury over his eye." He clicks his tongue restlessly. "If that isn't a big fucking clue that he's the guy you're looking for, then I dont know what the fuck-"

Bakugou cuts himself off when he sees the look on Ochako's face and the somber way she shakes her head. "Oi. Don't tell me you knew something, pink-cheeks?"

Ochako bites her lower lip nervously. "I was gonna call you, I swear I was." She takes a deep breath and braces herself. "But I know now that it wasn't the Director in that house."

Bakugou snarls. "What, 'cause he told you? You know a fucker can lie, right?"

"It's not just that," she answers, although a small part of her mind starts to wonder if the Director _would _lie about something like this. But more importantly: "Todoroki Touya told me himself that he was there."

A stunned silence. "Fuck," Bakugou says.

_Fuck _is right. "I don't know how he was kept a secret from me. I've known them-"_ him,_ "-for nine whole years, and nobody bothered to tell me that there's another Todoroki," she says with a shaky sigh.

Bakugou, surprisingly, actually looks empathic when he speaks again. "Don't beat yourself up over it, Cheeks. I almost had an aneurysm when I heard it too. Yaoyorozu knew because she was gonna be sold to that guy first, until the fucker got himself disowned."

She hums despondently. "Bakugou-kun, he's probably the one."

Bakugou raises his eyebrows. "The one you've been looking for."

She tells him all about Todoroki Touya-although he's Dabi now, from the League of Villains. Bakugou is all levels of intense as she spills out everything about their unexpected meeting and the display of resentment between him and the Director, as well as for Todoroki Enji.

"Fuck," Bakugou repeats after Ochako finishes. "And he can't remember a damn thing?"

Ochako shakes her head. "I understand why."

"Trauma," he grunts, thoughtfully. "Same as you, right?"

She nods and stares at him levelly. "... I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was there, Bakugou-kun. I probably should have started with that."

He shrugs. "It was pretty obvious anyway, Cheeks. Didn't want you to tell me anything until you were ready."

She smiles at him gratefully. "But weren't you worried that I was just making it up? I wasn't even in the police report. I could be doing this to exploit the Todorokis, you know. I could be that mean."

Bakugou makes an ugly face at her. "Don't think so highly of yourself, Angelface. Ya think I didn't already have my lackeys do a background check on you?"

"Lackeys?!" Ochako sputters. "You are so _rude _, Bakugou-kun!"

"You know it," he says, not flinching when he gets slapped in the arm for that remark. "There are easier ways for you to exploit money outta the Todorokis if that's what you really wanna do. Even then, a soft hamster-face like you can't scam your way out of a paper bag, so I don't buy it."

"Rude again! You are so mean," she grumbles with a puff of her cheeks.

She feels him stare at her, amusement suddenly dying in his eyes. "Yikes. It's so fucking obvious that you wish it wasn't Todoroki Touya who saved you."

"What do you mean?"

"You really want me to say it?" He bares his teeth in irritation, making it plain just who he's implying. Gosh, those two _really _hate each other, don't they?

"Just 'cause he says it wasn't him doesn't mean jack shit," Bakugou says. "You expect me to believe that you happened to be involved in that shit with the Todorokis before, and then it's just a fuckin' coincidence that you're working for the Chairman's son years later?"

Ochako shakes her head. "That's impossible. I was the one who went to Endeavor looking for work."

It was a simple matter of earning as much money as she can in the shortest amount of time. Endeavor paid well, even for temp work, and her intention was merely to earn money and nothing else. Her meeting with Director Todoroki happened by chance, and her subsequent selection to be his secretary was said to be a recommendation of the manager she worked with for a week, who was impressed with her. All of it is a result of luck and her own hard work.

Despite her explanations though, Bakugou doesn't appear convinced. "I don't buy it, not for a second," he says. "You're there for a reason, Cheeks, and I'm gonna find out why and how."

Ochako swallows. The story is getting more sinister the deeper they go. With how stubborn Bakugou is, it won't be long before he clashes with someone. Is it really worth it to go through all this trouble for her? "Hey. I know you're not just doing this for me, but you don't really have to. You already found out enough-"

Predictably, Bakugou refuses with vigor. Looking at her right in the eye, he says, "It's not enough. I don't know what's up with you and half-and-half, but I'm still willing to do this for you. Just because it's the right thing to do."

She feels her face heating up. "But Bakugou-kun-"

"And because if it isn't fuckin' obvious yet, I give a fuck about you. But if you don't want me to, that's a different story." He sighs, calloused hands grasping his glass of whiskey a little tighter when he asks, "So am I gonna fuck off now, Uraraka?"

Her heart's a little too fast after listening to his impassioned speech. It's easy to be enamoured by a man like Bakugou Katsuki, and she thinks she might have been a little bit with the way his gaze lingers on her like fire.

But the thought of Todoroki Shouto and everything he is stings at the back of her head like a needle. Coming up with a straightforward answer isn't as simple.

Surprised at how short of breath she is, she answers, "I'm honestly not sure about you, Bakugou-kun." She takes a deep breath. "At least, not yet. I'm sorry, I don't know what to say."

So, she's being unfair. She knows she is. She wouldn't be surprised if Bakugou decides to fuck off now, because _she _would fuck off if she was told something so indecisive as this.

But Bakugou, as obviously stung he is by her words, stays right by her side. "I get it," he murmurs. "Let me know once you decide. I'll be right here."

He raises his drink at her, and after a beat she raises hers to meet his with a solemn click. They down their glasses in unison and watch the people come and go around them in silence.

* * *

The next morning Shouto finds himself intruding once more into the much-smaller reception area outside of Chief Midoriya's much-smaller office. In front of him is Secretary Hagakure, gingerly holding up a chilled juice pack.

"What's this."

"Turmeric ginger root," Hagakure answers. "Chief Midoriya says you need it."

Shouto would rather not drink any more strange liquids, to be honest. He spent the night downing one liquid after the other, the first of them being the bottle of vintage red that he had ordered specifically for his failed meeting with Secretary Uraraka. Since he spent a chunk of the morning trying to keep things down, ingesting another liquid would do him more harm than good.

Still, it's being offered to him urgently, and his mouth is quite dry. He takes it from the expectant girl's hands and takes a tentative sip.

"Well?"

"... bitter." But, the fog in his head clears up a little, so he supposes it isn't bad. "Thank you, Secretary Hagakure."

Hagakure smiles, similar to how a nurse would smile at a howling child who was forced to take medications in exchange for a lollipop. Before he could decide how to feel about this, Midoriya emerges from his office to welcome him in.

Office hours begin at 8, but Chief Midoriya tends to come in early. When it's 6 AM in Japan, it's about 1 PM in California. His work day begins right after a certain important phone call to a certain former classmate of theirs from UA who returned there. Judging by the flush to his freckled cheeks, this phone call went quite well.

"I'm sorry for interrupting. I know you have important things to do."

Midoriya shakes his head, staring at him like he's someone new. Maybe because he didn't just barge in his office, for once. "It's okay. I thought it was urgent when Hagakure-san told me that it looks like you didn't sleep, and that your tie was crooked. Like you had to wear it by yourself today."

Shouto nods quietly.

His green eyes shine with concern. "So… what happened between you and Uraraka-san?"

Shouto takes a deep breath and tells him about all the recent things that have happened-from his visit to her house, the commotion at the lobby, the resolution, the way he asked her out on a date in the most proper way he knew, and the abrupt ending. He skips the parts involving his brother, opting instead to tell Midoriya that they argued over work. Midoriya quietly listens to him the entire time.

"In the end, Uraraka goes there with someone else." He looks up at him sharply. "Your childhood friend, to be precise."

Midoriya goes bug-eyed at this. "Kacchan? That's strange."

Is it so strange? Wasn't it obvious that there was something going on between them? Didn't he show up there to demonstrate that very fact to Shouto?

"But you said Kacchan was surprised to see you there too, right? She wouldn't bring him there just to show him off. Kacchan wouldn't agree to anything like that. There must have been another reason…"

As he ruminates upon this seriously, Shouto sighs. "It doesn't matter."

Midoriya looks at him quietly. "It doesn't?"

Shouto shakes his head, the memory still strikingly clear. There-at the threshold of his space and hers, where Bakugou Katsuki quite naturally holds onto her shoulder, and she doesn't pull back. He murmurs something in her ear, and her eyes widen, her cheeks flush, her pink mouth gapes with a strong emotion.

He can't deny the primal urge to pull her away. To grab her wrist to the point of breaking, take her in his arms, never let her go. He'd punch a hole through the other man's face if he has to.

He realizes with horror that _he hasn't changed at all _. He's still the same person who hurt her because he can't stand the idea of someone taking someone who belongs to him. But people don't belong to people. There's still an unhealthy way to his thinking that can't be solved if he keeps her at his side. He can do nothing but hurt Uraraka, being the way he is.

She doesn't deserve someone like him.

Midoriya takes a deep breath. "Maybe so… but you _didn't _resort to that this time, Todoroki-kun. Doesn't it show that you're trying to be a kind person?"

To add to everything, he had also convinced her that he isn't the one she was looking for. It's probably safer this way too. "She's better off without me."

"This makes me want to cry," Midoriya moans as his eyes become watery. "You're in-love with her right? Isn't that enough?"

Shouto shakes his head. When was a sentiment like that ever enough?

The other man takes a deep breath. "Look. I think you've already figured that forcing people into things won't work, so I get why you're trying to hold yourself back. But with all due respect, you're _wrong, _Todoroki-kun. I know you are. You didn't give her a chance to say anything!"

"I can accept her reasons for choosing him over me," he says quietly, "But I don't want to hear them."

At least he gets an understanding nod, but all the same Midoriya looks frustrated. "Okay, sure. Kacchan is definitely serious about her. He doesn't waste time on anyone unless he thinks they're worth it. But I also know Uraraka-san. She wouldn't say yes to you if she didn't want to go out on a date with you!"

Shouto sighs. "How are you sure about that? She doesn't seem interested..."

"_ Are you seriously saying this right now." _Midoriya makes a high-pitched whiny noise. He remains composed, but somehow Shouto can sense how dangerously close he is to tearing all his hair out.

Shouto watches as he carefully sorts through what must be a mess of stern reprimands in his head that he can't say out loud because he still works under him and he might get fired. (Not that Shouto _would _fire him, but he appreciates the concern). After some time, Midoriya exhales slowly over his hands and says, "You weren't the only one blushing in the art center, you know."

At the mention of that incident, Shouto instantly remembers the pink of her cheeks as they caught their breaths against the wall, under the flickering lights. They held hands back then, entirely out of need of course, but Shouto kept coming back to it because it felt correct to hold her that way.

Still, "That doesn't mean anything," he grumbles. "Blushing is an involuntary autonomic reaction."

Midoriya nods. "I agree. So why don't you ask her what she thinks?"

Shouto blinks. Is asking people how they feel about each other something that people do?

"Yes," Midoriya says with a sigh of infinite patience. "People usually call that _communication, _Todoroki-kun. It's important in all stages of a relationship, you know."

Todoroki hums, looking at Midoriya in awe. "You truly are an expert in this sort of thing, aren't you, Midoriya?"

Predictably, the man flushes and begins mumbling things about _look me and her are just friends I'm not as experienced as you or Takami-san say I am please leave me alone. _After he composes himself from his rant, Midoriya takes a deep breath and says, "Just promise me you'll talk to her today. There are lots of things you can solve just by hearing each other out, you know."

* * *

And so, once he gets out of Midoriya's much smaller office and comes back to his own, Shouto decides to talk to Uraraka: an impossible task, he realizes, right off the bat. This should be easy, in theory-he has the option of speaking with Uraraka in three out of the ten languages he is familiar with, yet the words refused to come.

"Secretary Uraraka," he begins in Japanese. "You must be wondering why I called you here when I have just spoken to you twenty-six minutes ago about or daily agenda. As you know, there is no urgent work to be done, however-"

Speaking in such a formal language, starting off with things about work-Uraraka would assume he's reprimanding her about her secretarial duties. Which he isn't. She's been very diligent about her work recently, for someone who's about to resign. He tries again.

"Secretary Uraraka… seeing Bakugou was an unpleasant experience for me. I acted irrationally because of it."

No. Bakugou must not be mentioned in any way, shape or form. That implies that Shouto is _jealous _of Bakugou. And as… intensely jealous as he is of that awful character, he must never admit it. He isn't _possessive, _and he isn't petty _. _Really, he isn't.

"Secretary Uraraka…" He sighs. "I'm sorry."

_I am in-love with you, and I want to marry you, but… I don't know what I'm doing. _

"Secretary Uraraka-"

"Director?"

He turns his head to meet her concerned gaze. With the intent to act naturally, he awkwardly puts one arm against the wall and asks, "Yes?"

Secretary Uraraka stares at his unnatural posture oddly, holding a document lacking his signature up to her face. "I knocked, and I thought I heard you calling for me. Did you need me for anything?"

Obviously not, because all of his rehearsed speeches have failed so far. Cornered, all he can do is shake his head awkwardly.

Uraraka makes an apparent effort to ignore his strange behavior and says, "Director. If it's alright with you, can we talk?"

Oh. She can do that too. He nods, perhaps a tad too hastily. She gives him a small smile and locks the door behind them.

After a silence where they fumble quietly for the words to say, Uraraka clears her throat first. "Last night, I didn't expect to meet with Bakugou-kun. He told me it was urgent that he met me, so I agreed. But I wasn't able to give you a heads-up, so it must have looked bad. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding."

Succinct, direct, and earnest. An explanation that Shouto easily understood. Even with this sort of problem, Uraraka proves herself to be a pragmatic person. He supposed he owed her the same transparency.

"You shouldn't apologize," he says. "I had doubts about myself, which is why I left. I thought I was doing it for you."

Uraraka blinks. "Doubts, sir?"

Shouto sighs. Time to get to the point of all this. It's now or never. "Uraraka. Am I wrong in assuming that there's something between us?"

Ochako's eyelashes flutter prettily, adding to his own confusion. Shouto wills himself to power through his embarrassment to get his sentiments out.

"I only assumed without really confirming what you felt. When I saw you with Bakugou, I thought that I was mistaken. I thought I needed to give you space."

_Space _, huh. The irony of him insisting upon it doesn't escape him. Once upon a time, Midoriya was insistent on Shouto giving Uraraka space. As a response, Shouto proposed to her outside of her house and then subsequently endured one of the most frustrating rejections in his life.

"That said," he says, in the face of Ochako's stunned silence, "No consequences. No tricks. I'll accept your answer, whatever it is."

_Even if it means giving you up to Bakugou Katsuki. _

Ochako stares up at him, ruminating. He expects some confirmation from her, perhaps a thank you for his gracious offer of space, an acknowledgment of his mistakes, an acceptance of his reasoning. Maybe she'll bow, and smile in the cheerful way that made her deserving of the title _Angel Secretary _, and never speak of this again. Maybe she'll resume her duties until they're over in the next week, where all she has to do is to quietly pull herself from the mold she's carved in his life, like a knife out of a stab wound.

He hates it, but… it's her. He'll do anything if she asked it from him. She only needs to say the word.

But she doesn't do any of that. Instead, Shouto gets a good look at the chocolate brown of her eyes and the pinks of her cheeks when she steps closer to him.

"Director," she says. "I think it was a mistake to cancel the date."

It takes him a beat realize what she's saying. Another, to feel the curling of her small fingers around the obviously crooked tie. She fixes it silently, not giving him a clue when she tugs on it more insistently than usual.

It's all instinct, he supposes, when he follows her quiet directions and leans in close-so dangerously close that he feels the heat of her cheeks, making his heart rate go haywire. Her mouth parts with a word, and he strains with all sense of rationality left in him to understand what she's saying:

"You're not wrong in assuming that there's something between us," she mutters. "Because I-"

Something clicks from afar-a soft sound, really, nothing that would warrant either of them to react as violently as they do. But in the shock of the intrusion, their foreheads collide with a loud sound. Next thing anyone knows they're jumping five feet apart and rubbing their foreheads while trying to keep their composure.

"Shouto-kun! Good morning!" Takami Keigo says as he springs from the door, pausing to make a show of shifting his gaze from him to Uraraka with mild shock. "Oh, Uraraka-chan is here too! Am I interrupting something?"

Shouto doesn't believe in curses or bad fortunes but he is _this close _to hiring a Feng Shui expert to cleanse his aura or whatever it is that they do.

"No," they answer in unison. Past the threshold of the door, Shouto can make out the silhouette of Secretary Utsushimi, a look of frustration on her face as if she did everything to keep Hawks away from this room and failed in the most spectacular way.

"Really? I can come back after a minute so you two can finish things~"

"It's fine, Takami-san!" Uraraka chirps a little too sharply for someone who has just recovered from a blow to her head. With a hurried bow to Shouto, she says, "I'll be outside if you need me, Director."

He manages what he thinks is a dignified nod until Takami interrupts with a frantic wave of his hands. "Wait, don't go~ You're actually the person I need to see, Uraraka-chan! I have a message for you from up high, you know?"

Uraraka looks at Shouto nervously, and he returns the look at her. "Do you mean… the Chairman?"

"Yep! Who else?"

Most employees would be terrified of receiving such an ominous message, but being under his employ for the last nine years provided Uraraka with some resistance against the Chairman. She knew how to answer calmly to any of Enji's inquiries without breaking a sweat, and even made him choke on his kuzumochi without an ounce of remorse weeks ago.

But today, Uraraka reacts differently-that is, the same as everyone else, with pallor and obvious fear in her features. Shouto's senses are suddenly on high alert.

"What does the Chairman want from her?" Shouto snaps before Uraraka can ask.

"Calm down, Shouto-kun~ Nothing to worry about! It's good news, I promise!"

Despite the flimsy promise, Uraraka's chilled look remains when Takami claps his hand over her shoulder. Maybe Shouto is just imagining it, but she looks like someone who's caught red-handed. Thankfully, she keeps her composure, and Takami doesn't notice.

"So the Chairman knows you've got a week to go before you leave us for good, right? You still have time to change your mind and all, buuuut from today onwards, he says you should take it easy~ isn't that neat?"

"Take it easy?"

"Yup!" Takami spreads his arms wide and says, "You get today off~!"

Uraraka gapes at him. "Today off? B-but we have to-"

"Nope~! Utsushimi-chan's gonna take over for today, okay?"

"Camie-chan? But-"

Takami doesn't give her a chance to protest. "I mean it's about time, right? After the team building thing tomorrow, the art center opening and Victoria's last physical next next Saturday, your nine-year employment with Shouto-kun will finally be over!"

Uraraka tries again. "But… since I don't have much time left at the office, I should use it to-"

"-relax, reflect, think about the next steps you want to do in your career and beyond," Takami finishes for her gently. "You have a lot of things you want to do once you're out of Endeavor, right? I think now's a good a time as any to start them!"

"... oh," she squeaks, shifting her conflicted gaze to Shouto.

Shouto wished they'd stop talking about this. The closer the week closes, the realer the imminent changes feel. He's running out of time. And everything around him seems intent on wasting what little time he has left for Uraraka.

Still… Takami isn't wrong. Uraraka's about to begin a new chapter in her life. Regardless of what she was about to say about whatever was between them, she should use her time for herself. Shouto isn't so possessive that he'd keep her at his side until the very last moment.

Well. At least he's trying his best not to be. He suppresses a sigh. "It's fine. I need to see if Utsushimi is capable of doing things without you. Do as he says."

Her lip trembles-a movement she hides by the forced stretch of the corners of her mouth into a polite smile. "Okay. Thank you… Director."

With a dazed bow she leaves the office. As soon as the door closes, Shouto glares at Takami.

The older man grins at him. "The Chairman isn't up to anything, if you're worried."

"I didn't ask." All the same, he doesn't stop glaring. Takami raises his arms up in faux surrender.

"It's simple, Shouto. The secretarial service wants to see if Utsushimi-chan can handle things without her, as you said. We need to know because if she can't, then you can't do your job well, and the entire company suffers. We don't want that, do we?"

Shouto scowls. "And this is the Chairman's orders."

Takami laughs. "You got it! Anyone who really knows how things work around here knows that you and Uraraka-chan are partners, rather than Director and Secretary! So he wants to see if… well…"

The man shrugs, and it's clear to Shouto what he doesn't say-that the old man wants to make sure that Shouto won't mess up without her. Truth be told, even though he knows Utsushimi is capable of carrying on her responsibilities, he isn't sure either.

"I'm sure she'll be doing well," Takami says reassuringly. "And it'll probably be just for today. Good thing you aren't that busy today, huh?"

Shouto narrows his eyes at him. "You already browsed through my agenda?"

"Are you surprised?" Takami asks, a sharp look in his eyes.

Of course Shouto isn't surprised. Takami needs to know everything, because Enji needs to know everything-hovering above Shouto to make sure that he's giving his all for the company and nothing less. He should be used to the feeling of restriction by now, but it's always annoying to be reminded of it.

"You don't have to worry," Takami repeats with a smile. "If Utsushimi-chan is as good as you and Uraraka-chan reported, she won't get in the way of you doing what you have to do."

With those strange parting words, Takami leaves the brooding Shouto alone in his office, waving cheerily on his way out.

* * *

Ochako trudges back home, mind oddly blank.

"A day off… all to myself," she tells Victoria II as soon as she changed out of her work clothes and into shorts and a shirt. "Been a while. For once, I won't see your owner today. I guess that's neat…"

Right. This is the first time in a long time that she isn't spending the day with the Director. While the past her would have been elated, it had to happen just when she was about to settle things with the Director. Gosh, she was _so close to him, _who knows what could have happened if Takami-san didn't interrupt them. She should be relieved, but she's stupidly disappointed over it.

Anyway, this is good. A day off is good. Space… space is good. The Director was rambling about giving her space like she needs it. Maybe she does need it. Her world has revolved around the Director for so long being told that she doesn't have to do that today got her disoriented. Sounds unhealthy.

Thing is, it's a weekday. Yui's at work, Reiko's at a mountain somewhere for a shoot. Tsuyu-chan and Tooru and all her other friends are at Endeavor, where she should be but now she can't. Bakugou-kun-

Hm. Maybe she shouldn't contact Bakugou. His suspicions about the Chairman had done nothing but bother her the entire time. He said that they should limit seeing each other while she insists on working with Endeavor. Maybe she should pay attention to what he says now.

Besides, maybe it's a good idea to spend this day for herself, just as Takami-san said she should. This should be a good day to start spoiling herself.

… maybe after she cleans up the mess in her apartment. She whines, rolls up her sleeves, and gets to work.

* * *

"Yo, Directoroki… slow down!"

Shouto stops mid-step, causing his team to step on the brakes abruptly and to bump one after the other-Utsushimi first, then Ashido, Kirishima, Monoma, and then Iida who almost causes everyone to crash with the force of his last interrupted step.

"Director! Where are we going and are we going to die if we don't get there soon?!" Monoma snaps from within the uncomfortably small space between Kirishima and Iida.

"Meeting at the Chairman's Office with the Yaoyorozu Group," he answers flatly. It's a priority event; they had this set over a month ago. Why isn't Monoma aware of this?

Kirishima steps aside to help Monoma breathe. As the smaller man prissily fixes himself up with Iida's assistance, he says, "We know, Directoroki-I mean, Director-but why are we running? We're way ahead of schedule as it is!"

"Yeah! We've been zooming everywhere like we're in a marathon!" Ashido whines while fanning herself with a folder and making a show of exhaustion. Although it might be genuine-she _does _appear pinker than usual from the exertion.

As a response, Shouto scowls at them just enough to instill a sense of urgency.

Iida sputters and faces everyone else with a mimic of the stern look on Shouto's face. "Of course the Director wants to uphold the values of punctuality and speedy precision work, given the importance of today's tasks! Why, at the rate we are going, we _must _be running late for our meeting with the esteemed Chairman, which is scheduled-"

"-in, like, an hour."

"-right! In an hour!" Iida answers, before doing a double take at Utsushimi, who's coolly looking over Shouto's agenda. Sputtering again, he asks, "... an hour?"

"Yuh," Utsushimi answers, showing off the time on her phone. "Actually, an hour ten? We totally parkoured over our sched today, it's _cray. _" Turning to Shouto, she says, "I'm waitin' on boss-man Hawks' text if we can meet with Daddyroki and Yaopapa, like, RN, but I know they're cruisin' through a chill lunch before our meeting, so I doubt~"

After some effort decoding what Utsushimi meant and watching the rest of the team panic over her usage of _Daddyroki _and _Yaopapa _in front of Shouto (but he doesn't care, really), Ashido whines again. "You serious?! We're an hour early?! Since when are we an hour early for _anything?! _"

Iida and Monoma take the schedule from Utsushimi just to double check. "Well, I'll be! We truly are early!" Iida says in astonishment.

"_ Hideously _early," Monoma confirms with disgust. "I don't think the other offices will be ready for us if we push it at this pace."

"They should be able to accommodate us," Shouto answers bluntly.

"Yeah, but-" Kirishima looks at the harried team and tries, "All due respect, Director, but we haven't slowed down since this morning. You haven't hydrated even a little bit since we started moving, y'know? You can't forget to hydrate!"

Kirishima waves his Hydroflask around to make a point. It makes him aware of the dryness of his mouth, but he remains unconvinced of his point.

"I'm fine," Shouto says. He's about to tell them to get moving, before a loud growl interrupts them. He'd reprimand them for not having the foresight to eat their meals before the workday started, but he stops when the team stares at him in shock instead.

The next complaining growl is accompanied with a pang in his stomach. With much annoyance, he finally accepts that the noises are from him.

Despite the awkward silence from his team, he ignores this. "Secretary Utsushimi, what did Takami-san say?"

"He sent me a pizza emoji," she says, showing off her phone screen to prove her point. A glimpse of the rest of the thread also shows that the two of them have been solely communicating through emojis and acronyms the entire time. "It's a no-go, Directoroki."

Shouto huffs. That old man is probably purposefully making things harder for them. "It's fine. Contact Marketing instead. If Midoriya is available-"

"No can do~ Tooru-babes tells me they're coming back from a meeting downtown," Utsushimi replies. She side-eyes the rest of the team, who look at her meaningfully, and then she responds with a nod. "Directoroki, y'think I can talk to you a li'l bit 'bout something?"

He nods, waiting for her to talk. To his surprise though, she takes him by the arm and drags him some ways away from the rest of the team until they're out of sight and earshot. As soon as they are, Utsushimi takes a deep breath, makes a motion with her fingers that she does when she's 'cleansing her aura,' and spins to face Shouto, suddenly transformed into a different, serious person.

Shouto's _terrified, _in a word.

"Director Todoroki," she says with a grave tone and a look that's so out of character it makes Shouto feel actual fear, "There's a problem here that you're not telling me."

With a nervous swallow, he replies with the most even tone he can manage, "There's nothing wrong. We are ahead of schedule, as you said."

"But we aren't slowing down, and you haven't stopped harassing us," she says, arms crossed. "You got something important on your agenda that you aren't telling me?"

He frowns. "Utsushimi, contrary to what you might have learned from Secretary Uraraka, I am _not _required to tell you of my business outside of office hours."

"So it's got something to do with Ocha-babes, huh."

She smirks victoriously, her deadly aura dying down, and Shouto realizes too late that he faltered.

"Riiiiight. She's got a day off. You got work. You wanna see her so you're rushin'. 'kay, gotcha~"

How did she get all that from what little Shouto has said?

As a response to his befuddlement, Utsushimi winks. "It's my job to know what you're thinking! Plus, you're more expressive than you think, Directoroki~ Especially when it comes to…"

"_ Utsushimi, _" he says warningly.

She trails off, putting a finger to her full lips. "Fine, I'm shuttin' up about that now. But seriously, boss-man, you gotta take it a li'l slow, okay? Never mind that it's my first day goin' solo. Kirishimans is right, you haven't hydrated for shit the entire day!"

He shakes his head. "I told you, I'm fine-"

Again, his infernal stomach growls. Why does he have to get hungry now? To think his system refused to take anything this morning. He should tell Uraraka to book an appointment with his gastroenterologist-

-and there he goes, thinking about Uraraka again. His bodily malfunctions seem suspiciously related to her forced absence today.

Utsushimi sighs theatrically and taps on her phone expertly. "I gotcha. I'mma call Riki-chan to make you somethin' nice, 'kay? Shoji'll have it for ya in a jif."

"But-"

"I got it all figured out, Directoroki," she says confidently, flipping through their schedule with ease. "After the meeting with Daddyroki and Yaopapa, we just need to meet with Chief Mido and Tsu, right? After that we're gonna work on the seats and logistics stuff, and then the rest of us are gonna have a meeting for the team-building tomorrow which you aren't gonna be going to anyway. You wanna stick with me 'cause it's my first day and all, but technically you don't have to. So, I'm kickin' you out after that-"

Shouto stares at her incredulously. "You're… kicking _me _out?"

"Ya," she says, face transforming again that Shouto stiffens reflexively. "Got a problem with that?"

He thinks about this seriously. Objectively speaking, she isn't wrong regarding their agenda. He isn't needed urgently for the latter half of the day. But for Utsushimi to have the sheer audacity to kick her own boss out, well. Truth be told, Shouto's _impressed. _

She smirks. "If I got a problem that Tenya or Mono-boss can't handle, I'mma call you, 'kay? So if you're cool with it, you'll be outta here by, say… 4-ish?"

Still, it's unheard of to take his leave at that hour. Enji has a lot of infuriating things to say about going home early, so whenever he had extra time he'd brainstorm new projects with Uraraka ahead of schedule. But Utsushimi will be busy, and Uraraka isn't here, so…

"It should be okay to get out of work early today," he relents.

"Yah, totes fine~" Utsushimi coos. "It's just for today anyways. We gotcha covered, boss-man~"

She winks again, twirls around and goes back to the rest of the team to tell them that "Directoroki says we can chill for now, y'all"; to his surprise, even though Iida in particular is particularly skeptical, they follow her lead, bow to the Director with a thank you, and go about their way. Any worries that Shouto had with their productivity doesn't last when they're able to finish their work by 4 PM, as promised by Utsushimi.

He's still uneasy right before he leaves, even after reassurances from both Iida and Monoma that they'll handle themselves well enough without him. As his new secretary leads him out of the office with a secretive smile, he asks, "Is this really a good idea, Utsushimi?"

"You know it is. Won't tell anyone what you're up to if you promise not to mess this up, Directoroki," she says, before pushing him in the elevator, giving him no room to complain or change his mind.

* * *

It's five in the afternoon, and Ochako can't believe she made it this far without losing her mind.

She thought that cleaning the apartment would take up all of her time, but she's done by lunch. After debating with herself whether to make food at home or to treat herself for once, she takes the train downtown to eat fluffy pancakes and a parfait at a cafe that Tooru-chan was raving about in their groupchat. She ate as slowly as she could, but to her dismay she still had an entire afternoon to waste after that.

She looked at clothes and shoes, trying in vain to convince herself that she owed it to herself to buy something nice, but she just _couldn't _. Meandering by herself without anyone to talk to got boring sooner than later, and she finds herself walking home earlier than intended.

She's worried, because she's quitting soon with a 100% chance of facing aimless days like this. Is it really this hard to find something to do?

Besides, it's really weird going through the day without seeing the Director. Call it conditioning or a sick form of yearning, but the shock in her system from doing a lot of nothing might just be enough for her to hallucinate the haughty red-and-white form that she's so used to in the next corner she turns.

"You can do it, Five Pee-Pee Man! You can do it!"

"Don't call him Five Pee-Pee Man, Kota! It's Demon Director!"

True enough-she almost trips over herself seeing just that: a red-and-white haired man in a suit, fumbling awkwardly with a UFO Catcher on the sidewalk as two elementary-aged children cheer him on.

"My name isn't Five Pee-Pee Man or Demon Director, it's Todoroki Shouto," the man says, and Ochako wonders about if this is really just a hallucination, because no-one in the world can craft such a deadpan reply to a couple of school children like the Director can.

Ochako carefully approaches the group, mindful of the passers-by giving them odd looks. Much to her dismay, the closer she gets, the surer she is that who she's seeing is definitely Todoroki Shouto, Executive Director of Endeavor Inc, putting all his efforts in winning a NecoConeco doll from an arcade.

As she subtly steps behind him, a high-pitched victory tune sounds along with the excited screams of the school kids next to him.

"You did it, Demon Director! You did it!" Ochako only realizes that it's Shinsou Eri who was cheering him on when they meet eyes by accident. The younger girl smiles brighter than ever before and practically squeals, "Director! The Angel Secretary! She's here!"

Ochako falters just as the other kid and the Director himself turns to face her.

"Secretary Uraraka?" Shouto asks, the embarrassed shock on his face a sharp contrast to the blank smiles of the ridiculously cute doll he's holding.

"Good evening Director," Ochako says with an awkward nod.

"What? She doesn't look like an angel! She looks like a hamster," the boy called Kota comments from the side, earning him a sharp nudge from Eri. "It's true!"

"You're so mean, Kota-kun!" Eri says, with a puff of her cheeks. "You can't just call grown-ups hamsters or pee-pee!"

Shouto has a look on his face that tells Ochako plainly that even he is unsure of how he ended up in this absurd situation. "I'm sure you have questions," he says above the noise of the kids' argument beside him.

Ochako isn't sure either if she's in a complicated dream sequence, but it's so comical that she gives in to the urge to laugh. "You guessed right, Director."

Eri interrupts her argument versus Kota and explains, "I saw the Demon Director after I visited Toshi-nii in his office, so I said hi! He said he was gonna go and see you, but he didn't have a present or anything, so I said I knew where we can get you one~"

"And I helped," Kota deadpans with a look of disbelief at the Director's direction. "This dumb guy doesn't know how arcades work. Are ya sure you wanna date him, Hamster-_ nee _?"

Boy, where to begin with that question. Thankfully, Todoroki doesn't seem that offended. Or at least, not as offended as Eri, who squeaks and nudges Kota painfully again. "I'm gonna tell Auntie Shino that you're being mean again!"

"Oh yeah? Well I'll tell Toshi-_ nii _that you're messing with Five Pee-Pee Man again. He's gonna make you eat nothing but green peppers for lunch for a week!"

Once again the children have another livid argument. "They've been doing that for a while now," the tired Todoroki explains to Ochako with the detachment one expects of a nature documentary commentator. "Are children allowed to be out this late, Secretary Uraraka?"

"Maybe, but it's definitely safer to send them home," Ochako answers, trying to keep her composure.

With a sense of relief, he tells the kids just that. Calls are made to Shinsou and Kota's 'Auntie Shino,' and soon the children are chauffeured home by Shoji-kun despite their protests, leaving Ochako alone on the street with Director Todoroki.

He quietly hands the doll over to her. "Here. It's six thousand yen worth of effort."

Ah. So he's been at it for a while. Ochako takes it gratefully, hugging it close to her. "Thanks, Director. You really didn't have to, though."

"The children told me that ordinary men try to win toys for women. To impress them," he says, eyes flashing expectantly.

She tries to control the smile from breaking her face in two, relishing in the brief look of confusion on his face. "What are you doing here, Director?" she asks instead.

"I was capturing that toy for you," he says. "Then I was going to call you to ask where you were. It seems that you have beaten me to it, though."

"Really? You were going to see me?"

He nods. "I wanted to spend time with you. If it's alright with you." And then he blinks, as if just realizing something. "However, this is all spontaneous. I didn't make reservations or anything like that."

He genuinely looks troubled by this. Ochako can't stop her smile this time. "It'll be okay, Director. Spontaneous is good, too!"

He blinks. "It is?"

Ochako nods brightly. "You know what? Since you don't have plans, do you mind if I take the lead this time? I think I know where to take you."

She asks as if she didn't flounder all day trying to think of things to do the entire day. Todoroki, to his credit, looks more interested than apprehensive. "Is it far? I don't think it will be convenient to wait for Shouji to bring the children home."

"We don't need Shouji-kun," Ochako says, taking his arm boldly, making him raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"Director, have you ever taken the subway before?"

* * *

Uraraka must have known that Shouto has never taken public transport before apart from overseas. He supposed it was just a rhetorical question that served as a warning before she took him down a flight of stairs and into the crowded station that made Shouto do more than wrinkle his nose in distaste.

"We don't have to take the train if you don't want to," she says, taking out her commuter card from her bag.

Shouto really doesn't want to, but he knows that for Uraraka, he has to. Whether she's consciously challenging him or not, he has to prove that he's serious about pursuing her. If he has to rub shoulders with the mass of ordinary commuters during rush hour to prove it, so be it.

So he follows her. She tells him how to buy a ticket, which gate to go through, which line and station they were on and where they were going. The entire time he sticks to her closely, irrationally anxious of the suspicious people walking all around them who might have had ill intentions towards her. He isn't even conscious of the fact that he's standing too close to her until he feels the warmth of her cheeks against him.

"No, it's fine, Director," she says, pinker than she normally is when he apologizes for his brazenness. "At least this way, we won't get separated."

Well, as long as she says it's fine. He puts an arm around her and sends a deadly glare at the men around them, who look up at him with fear. She clears her throat coolly and tells him that it's time to hop on board.

The ride to their stop was _not _pleasant. There were so many people, all shapes, sizes, ages and smells, stuffed like sardines. People bump into him freely without the usual fear that comes with knowing who he is. Even if he didn't purposefully want to stick close to Uraraka, he had no choice due to the lack of space and inertia of the moving train. It takes a lot of focus to keep himself upright, and a lot of breathholding to keep his composure while he shields Uraraka from the crowds with his arm against the steel door she leans against.

Yes, it's unpleasant, objectively speaking, but he can't say the same for the experience of being so close to her that he sees how her face progress from bright pink to beet red. It's so that he's surprised that it's over by the time she murmurs that it's time for them to hop off the train.

"That wasn't so bad, right?" Uraraka says, her voice wavering slightly as the space between them grows when they go above ground.

"It was," Shouto answers flatly. "It's unthinkable you refused the car I offered to you before."

She laughs and points to a bright restaurant nearby, with gaudy lettering and more people standing in line. "Well, you're about to experience more unthinkable things. You ready, Director?"

Shouto bravely follows her lead. She takes them to a curry place, where they had to buy meal tickets and eat salty curry while sitting on stuffy seats at a bar. Then she takes him out and buys soft-serve ice cream, convenience store chocolates, and then taiyaki. And while it's astonishing watching her ingest so much cheap unhealthy food within a short span of time, Shouto is more astonished that he finishes everything without feeling terrible.

They eat all this while taking a walk through the lit-up city, with ordinary people bustling about them, not giving them a second look. She tells him about how worried she was missing work, and he tells her about how efficient and terrifying Utsushimi was, so she had nothing to worry about. She has a good laugh at this, which he enjoys hearing, and they carry on their conversation at a pace that feels surprisingly natural, much different from the serious conversations they've been having recently.

And while these ordinary things were unexpectedly entertaining, he couldn't care much. All through the night, his thoughts circle endlessly around an indisputable fact that he accepts without much choice-

"Isn't this fun?" she asks, cheeks stuffed to the full with custard taiyaki.

-Uraraka Ochako is _beautiful, _isn't she?

"Yes," he says. He feels the corners of his mouth tug upwards involuntarily, which she reciprocates.

"That's great! I wasn't sure that you're enjoying yourself, since I don't think you've done anything like this before," she says happily. "I'm sorry if I forced you into doing what I liked, though. I might have gotten carried away."

"I'm honored that you showed me the things you like," he answers, with a bite of his own taiyaki. "At least this time, you can't deny the fact that I spent time with you the way an ordinary person would."

She grins. "I guess not. But no matter what I do, Director, I can't see you as an ordinary person."

He stares at her incredulously. "You must be joking."

She laughs, walks ahead of him, playfully looking back at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "That's not a bad thing."

A warm feeling blooms at the back of his mind, like he won something other than the doll she cradles closely in front of her.

The ride home is less crowded and more comfortable, and in no time Shouto is walking Uraraka back to her apartment. He doesn't realize that he's expertly navigating through the small streets and quiet neighborhoods until they're already in front of the familiar building. Has he been here so often that he knows the way to her?

"You have been visiting me pretty often," Uraraka agrees. "I'm not even surprised to see you around here anymore."

"Is that also not a bad thing?"

She giggles, and Shouto guesses that it isn't. He allows himself to smile again.

"You should do that more often, Director," she says teasingly.

"What?" he asks, instantly freezing in place when she tiptoes close to him, small hand with pink points curling around his face in slow motion, her face _close, close, close- _

… her finger pokes his right cheek and she stops, eyes creasing and mouth grinning so uncontrollably that he has to keep his chest from bursting from the cuteness of it.

"Smile, like that! See, you don't look like a demon at all!" she says, stepping back with a giggle. "Promise me you'll do that more, 'kay?"

Stunned, and a little sorry for the loss of proximity between them, all he can say is "'Kay."

She smiles again, bright and beautiful as she steps up to her door. With a quiet wave, she says _good night, _and he finds himself watching her pink cheeks disappear with the slow closure of the door. When the door shuts, he feels… disconcertingly alone, like the night isn't enough, like nothing is enough unless he had her by his side most of the time.

It wasn't a bad feeling, strangely enough.

This is probably what people called _missing someone- _an ordinary reaction, after an ordinary date with an extraordinary woman. Was it possible for Shouto to feel things, as an ordinary person would?

Throughout the ride home, when Shouto forces his mouth to do anything else but smile and Shouji gives him odd looks through the rearview mirror, he concludes that maybe striving for the ordinary wasn't so unthinkable, after all.

* * *

_AN: To be honest, I am not very happy with how this chapter turned out, but rather than editing this forever I decided to publish this already =_=' I apologize. Focusing has been difficult for the past few weeks for a number of reasons, January 2020 being one of the most challenging months in the world being at the foremost of them. Natural disasters, epidemics, and the threat of war and all that._

_I hope all of you are doing well and safe! Keep healthy, hydrate, cover your cough, wear your face masks (N95 or otherwise) properly, be mindful when you travel, vote for the right person, fight for the poor, protect Mother Earth. Thank you for all your comments, kudos, and sweet messages! They help in keeping positive despite all the serious things happening in the world! See you in the next update!_


	15. Do I Have To Let You Go?

**and you say, stay  
**Chapter 15: Do I Have To Let You Go?

* * *

Being a surgeon-in-training, Todoroki Natsuo, 33 years old, is perpetually tired. Days off are few and far in between, and the hours he spends not sleeping in is dedicated to treating himself and his girlfriend to a nice meal not far from his apartment, and spending quality time with his family.

… that is, if you can call awkward dinners at the Todoroki Mansion and the arguments with Dear Ol' Dad 'quality time.'

Look. It's not that Natsuo goes in wanting to pick a fight. He tries to 'behave' for Fuyumi's sake, but it's _hard. _After all, Enji never lets him forget how disappointed he was in Natsuo for not looking and acting like a Todoroki should, for siding with mom, for choosing to help people instead of working like a dog for the rest of his life when Touya was taken away.

All that would be fine_ \- _he isn't really keen on gaining Dad's love at this point. He doesn't need it to live. But he has to watch Shouto forced into doing what he and Touya wouldn't, along with all the shit that comes with it. And after all that his baby brother has been through, to see that guy forcing his idea of a 'perfect life' on Shouto is disgusting.

Natsuo was powerless to stop it before. But now that he's independent, he promised himself that if that old man hurts Shouto again, he'll throw everything he has against him, win or lose. He already lost one brother to this man, he won't lose another one.

"That's sweet of you," the other man cackles, crossing his legs over the low coffee table in Natsuo's small apartment. "You don't have to worry about me, though. I'm _fiiiiine._"

Is he, though? It's ten PM of a tiring day and Natsuo goes home to find this man sitting in complete and utter darkness, watching _Stain: Society's Killer _on Netflix while eating the Chinese takeout he has sitting in the fridge for a week.

He's been fucking around and making a mess for a week now, but he's welcome to do it. Touya-nii can do whatever he wants in Natsuo's home as far as he's concerned, can even stay there for good if he wants to. Because he's family, and also Natsuo doesn't think that this guy is capable of taking care of himself at all.

"Hey, this dumpling smells weird," Touya says, sniffing the offending thing before popping it into his mouth and chewing noisily. "Tastes fine, though. You want some?"

Case in point. Natsuo looks at him with disgust. "Why didn't you just order a pizza or something?"

Touya scowls, stabbing his chopsticks into the box. "That's all that fuck-face Spinner orders every single rehearsal. I'm gonna hurl if I ever see one again."

"And this doesn't make you wanna throw up?!" He snatches the box from his grasp. "Don't eat garbage, man. You're gonna get sick eating this shit."

"Wouldn't have eaten them if you didn't stash 'em there." Touya points out with a bratty glare, making Natsuo wonder which one is really the older brother between them.

With a resigned sigh, Natsuo trashes this and the rest of the old takeout he can get his hands on, trying to ignore Touya's complaints along the way. He's pretty hungry though, and as much as Natsuo wants to make something healthy, it's too tiring to think of cooking and washing the dishes. Looks like they're ordering takeout for the third day in a row...

God, adulting is a pain. He's probably talking big telling Touya he can live here with him anytime he likes. At this rate they're gonna die early.

Touya chuckles derisively as Natsuo confirms their order for two jumbo beef bowls. "Y'know, that kid has his own nutritionist and personal chef? Some dude who studied in France and got awards and shit."

Natsuo snorts in disinterest.

"He's got a better place too," Touya continues, staring passively at a particularly gruesome portion of the documentary. "Maybe five times the size of your apartment. You been there?"

"Yeah, I visit him when I can."

Skinny fingers drum against his propped up knee, his burn scars peeking from his sleeves. Impatient and irritated. Natsuo stares at his motions carefully.

"Shouto worked for it, y'know. All of it is his. Enji doesn't give him a single yen that he hasn't worked for. He owes that guy jack shit."

"So he tells me," Touya says absently. "Fuyumi said the exact same thing, too. Wouldn't you know it, the kid's thriving."

"Don't," Natsuo warns. "Nii-chan, c'mon-"

"What? I wasn't saying anything."

It's _that smile, _though-scheming and sinister, far darker than Natsuo remembered. Sends a chill down the spine, really, how his blue eyes shine in the dark like a panther about to kill. He may not be saying anything, but he also didn't say anything before he decided to punch Shouto in the jaw.

"I dunno why you're so mad at him. Shouto's trying his best," Natsuo says, with some difficulty. "Between us he has it harder. And this is coming from the one who isn't living off of Enji's money anymore-"

Touya looks around his little apartment and raises his eyebrows skeptically.

"Yeah, it's true. That kid has everything, but he didn't have a childhood. He didn't have the choices that Fuyumi and I had. He didn't have a way out from Enji." A bitter laugh escapes him. "He did nothing but work ever since he was twenty, starting from the bottom without any help."

He clicks his tongue. "Yeah right. He has Ochako, doesn't he? Apparently he had her from the start-"

_Ochako? _

"The little secretary," Touya says, as if it's obvious. "What? You didn't know what her name was?"

Natsuo closes his dropped jaw and nods. "Yeah, of course I know Ochako-chan. But… _you _know her?'

Here Touya goes jarringly quiet. Instinctively, he thumbs through his phone, staring at a certain conversation thoughtfully. "Yeah, you could say that."

Now that was weird, because Touya left before Ochako was hired. There was no way they could have known each other in between. Why are they suddenly on first-name basis now?

Touya shrugs. "What, you think you're the only one who knows how to talk to girls or something?"

Stranger and stranger. There's a softness in his eyes that's there for like, a second. Natsuo has never ever seen Touya go soft for shit. He sort of knew that Touya was into girls as much as guys, but based on all those photos he sent from the US, hanging out with people who are far from short and sweet and pink-cheeked, he's sure that Ochako wasn't his type...

...and even if she was, wouldn't Shouto have done something about this?

"Look at you, confused and shit. It's cute!" Touya laughs wheezily. "She works for the family, right? Are only official Todorokis allowed to talk to her?"

"Nah… I guess it's fine," Natsuo says, rubbing his aching forehead. He's too tired to figure this out. "She's been with us… I mean Shouto for the past nine years. Maybe it isn't weird for you guys to meet."

"Nine years?"

"Yeah. Nine long years."

Touya rubs a thumb against his chin, deep in thought. "You've never seen her before?"

Natsuo vaguely knew about her situation from chatting her up during boring events. From what he knew, she was just a temp who caught Shouto's eye, and who worked her ass off to stay by his side the entire time.

But the way Touya's staring… why does he look like he's expecting a different answer?

"No, never," Natsuo says, looking at him strangely. "Why do you ask?"

Touya stares at him, discerning. Natsuo stares right back, puzzled.

"Nothing," he finally says, leaning back. "Don't stress out, li'l bro. I'm just teasing."

Natsuo narrows his eyes. "Look, dunno what you wanna know, but I'm not hiding anything from you. Don't drag Ochako into this, please? She's a good kid."

"I know," Touya mutters, disquieted. "I wasn't going to. Didn't mean to sound insane, Natsuo."

At this, Natsuo sighs. "Nii-chan, don't… you're not insane."

He raises his eyebrows and smiles wanly. "I am, too. My therapist says so. Says it's only a matter of time before I go as insane as the rest of the band."

The shaky videos Natsuo watched from their underground shows, showing the League yelling shit, breaking shit on stage, and goading people close to a riot don't exactly disprove anything. He should probably ask Kurogiri about it later.

Speaking of the band—"I know you said yes to that art gallery thing, but are you sure about this?"

"This again?" Touya snorts. "It's too late to back out now. We got little kids to play with us to make it more family-friendly. Yaoyorozu's kid is gonna make an appearance. And Shouto's the one who asked me to do it, y'know."

He laughs, and Natsuo knows that something different happened. Does he even wanna know how it really went down? But that isn't why he's worried. "Nii-chan… I know you wanna remember what happened. I know you wanna show that bastard what you can do. But I dunno if-"

"-yeah. You don't know anything."

"-Touya-nii-"

"It's Dabi now," he snaps, with a sharp glare that takes him aback. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Natsuo snaps his jaw shut. Touya takes a deep breath. It takes him more than a moment before he recovers and pats Natsuo on the back apologetically. This obviously isn't the first time this has happened since he got here-Touya is more _volatile _than he was before-but it stings all the same.

The strained silence between them breaks when the doorbell rings. Must be the food. He was starving before they talked, but now Natsuo feels like throwing up.

Without a word he makes for the door, patting down his scrubs for his wallet as he opens it. "Hey buddy, you got change for five thou-"

"-yeah… yeah. He acted as expected, took her home and everything. He should be home by now. And-"

Natsuo wonders briefly where his food is before he realizes that it's Takami Keigo standing at his doorway and not the delivery guy. "Uh…"

Keigo cuts him off by holding a finger up before getting back to his conversation. "-yuh. Tomorrow? We'll see. I'll call for an update. Gotta go, bye. Heyyyy, Nacchan, it's you~!"

"... yeah, who else? It's my apartment," Natsuo says, awkwardly accepting the shorter man's hug.

"That so? I coulda _sworn _there was someone else there~ Hey!"

"... _fuck. _"

Fuck.

Natsuo doesn't know what possessed Touya to stand up and see what's going on, but there he was, almost face-to-face with Takami Keigo-the one person in the world he never wants to see.

The reason, of course, was jealousy. But it wasn't as petty as that. It was less about status and more about how Keigo, the brilliant son that Todoroki Enji never had, proved that the bastard can raise someone without abusing them. His existence, in Touya's words, is a big fuck you to everything him and Shouto, and even Natsuo and Fuyumi, endured in their childhoods.

Natsuo can understand the resentment. Not that he ever resented Keigo. He was a decent guy, if not occasionally unnerving. Still, he understands the boiling rage that comes upon his brother's entire being the moment he lays eyes on the guy.

"-Dabi, hey," Keigo says, smiling gently.

Touya starts burning up. Natsuo unwillingly braces himself.

Keigo flinches, but pretends not to notice anything. Keeping an uncharacteristic honest smile on his mouth, he says, "I found you! It's been so long, hasn't it? Dabi, I-"

"-am going to kill you if you get any closer," Touya growls, slapping Keigo's hand when it tries to touch him on the shoulder. "The fuck do you want, you creep? You spying for that old man again?"

Keigo falters for the briefest second, a genuine pain lingering in his eyes that Natsuo doesn't miss. Still, he tries again. "No, I haven't told the Chairman a thing. And I'm not gonna, okay? I just want to talk to you."

But talking is impossible now: Touya's eyes anxiously dart left and right, his hands gripping his arms protectively. He isn't… okay, and Natsuo knows it. With a solemn shake of his head, he says, "Keigo… nah. Not tonight."

"But Nacchan..."

Touya clicks his tongue violently. "I'm getting the fuck outta here-"

"-Nii-chan-"

Try as they might, nothing stops Touya from storming out. Natsuo's hand is violently slapped away with a searing hot hand. Keigo is shoved off his path and sent careening to a wall. He almost runs over the guy bringing their beef bowls, who most definitely squeaks upon seeing the frightening sight of his rage.

An awful silence ensues in the aftermath. Keigo looks at the empty space with a sense of loss, a look he sends to Natsuo.

Natsuo sighs.

"Er… here. Two jumbo beef bowls," the delivery guy stammers, handing over the food with shaky hands.

He hands over the payment with a hefty tip to the guy who runs off, and then faces Keigo. "So. You want the other one? He isn't going to eat it until it grows mold."

The other man shakes his head. Of course not. Natsuo can't imagine that even a guy like Keigo would have an appetite after an experience like that.

"Ten years," he says after a pause, a light, fragile laugh escaping from his chest. "Ten fucking years, Nacchan. He still won't talk to me."

Natsuo looks at him apologetically. "Sorry."

Keigo shakes his head. "It's okay. I'm doing all I can for him. You know that, right?"

"Yeah… yeah, you are."

Keigo has to laugh at how vigorously he's nodding. "'Kay. You wanna hear what I've been up to lately? Your girlfriend isn't dropping by or anything, right? I know Fuu-chan isn't, so-"

Natsuo nods, gesturing for him to come inside. "This better be worth it," he adds as he closes the door behind him.

* * *

Today is the mandatory team-building activity for the Office of the Director. Even though they have the Art Center opening to worry about in two days, everyone is insistent about holding it as scheduled.

"To deviate from the schedule is unacceptable, Uraraka-kun!" Iida declares with a flash of his glasses. "What would be the purpose of our yearly strategic planning if we do not commit to our plans? It's irresponsible to even think about-"

"Tenya, _chiiill,_" Camie comments. She's in a tank top, denim shorts, and a pair of huge sunglasses that kinda make her look like a celebrity hiding from paparazzi. "No need to be salty~ We're all here, ready to party~"

"Ready to party?!" Iida sputters. "I'll have you know that we have numerous important things in store for today! We have to revise our mission-vision statements, perform group dynamics activities, improve efficiency-"

"_ Blablablabla _geez, Iida, you're more Iida than usual!" Mina screeches above the guy's monologue, making everyone flinch. She's also in a cute summer outfit that shows off a body for days-all muscle and curve everywhere Ochako looks. "Like Camie says, we're gonna party today or so help me I'm gonna throw a tantrum the entire time! Right, Ei?"

"I know you're not kidding about that tantrum! So let's have the manliest party ever!" Kirishima cheers, raising muscly arms that carry an inner tube, a paddle board, and about seven of his and Mina's bags. "Come on, Iida! You're excited about this too, right?"

"Yeah, even if you're dressed like… that," Monoma quips with a wrinkle of his nose, looking derisively at Iida's freshly ironed suit and tie. "You do know that we're going to the beach, right?"

"Of course I do! I rented the cabin!" Iida protests loudly. "However, this is work, and we must be dressed appropriately! I should be reprimanding all of you for dressing so casually!"

"Hopeless," Monoma sighs, and then twirls to sniff at Kirishima and Ochako, "But not as hopeless as you two. Honestly, I'd say Iida dressed better for this."

Kirishima, proudly garbed in a loud Hawaiian shirt, patterned board shorts, and bright red Crocs gasps loudly in offense.

"It's not about the outfits, Monoma-kun!" Ochako, who's in an old tank, shorts, and bright pink Crocs, quips with a sharp smile. "It's about who can kick your ass harder in the games we're playing today!"

"Yeah, what she said!" Kirishima says, flexing angrily. "And I got you a matching outfit as me, since we're teammates!"

Monoma's face twists in disgust, much to Ochako's satisfaction. "Please, spare me," he mutters. "Let's just concentrate on moving, please? Where's Shinsou-kun? The new guy thinks he can get away with being late just 'cause he's a little hotter than-"

"Uh."

An ugly noise comes out of Monoma's nose and mouth, while an uglier guffaw comes out of Mina's.

"Ah! Shinsou-kun!"

"Present," Shinsou Hitoshi says, holding one hand up lazily. Ignoring the way Monoma looks like he wants to curl up and die, he tells him, "Sorry I'm late. I had to drop Eri-chan over at my uncles' place. It took longer than I thought trying to convince her not to come with me."

"So cute," Mina squeals, no doubt imagining Shinsou comforting a crying Eri, who won't let go of him. Ochako's thinking of the same thing, funnily enough.

"You are such a fuckin' DILF, Shinsou," Camie agrees easily, ignoring the immediate blush on Shinsou's cheeks. "'So all that's missing is Tsu-Tsu and Tooru-babes, and we're good to go!"

Ochako blinks. "Tsuyu-chan and Tooru-chan are coming too?"

"Yes we are!" Someone from behind her calls.

Whipping around, Ochako sees the two girls in question, clad in summer dresses and big hats, ready to vacation. "Oh wow! But you aren't even from the same office! Is this okay?"

Tsuyu nods happily. "Camie-chan asked Midoriya-chan if we could go, and he said yes. Todoroki-chan thought it was okay too, so here we are, _ribbit _."

Camie winks at her slyly when she gives her a questioning look. Suddenly, she remembers how timid the Director was when he described how Camie kicked him out of the office. Ochako's sure that Camie didn't just _ask. _

_Wow. The power. _

"Besides, it'll be awesome right! Aren't we going to a resort owned by the Director?!" Tooru squeals excitedly. "And there's games! And food! Barbecuuue!"

Mina and Kirishima start screaming _"Barbecuuue! Barbecuue!" _with Tooru, ignorant of Iida's orders for them to be quiet. "For heaven's sake, cease this audacious dancing! We are running late as it is! To the appropriately rented van with all of you!"

And so they load all their things and themselves in the van, with Iida behind the wheel and Tsuyu in charge of navigation. Ochako guessed that this was why Camie asked them to come in the first place-last year, the team infamously got lost when Mina tagged the wrong resort. Monoma, Iida, and Kirishima subsequently learned the hard way that none of them knew how to read maps. It was hopeless until the Director sent a helicopter to pick them up after finding out that Ochako was ten minutes late for their scheduled meeting afterward.

This time, the trip was much faster. After just one pitstop, they're at the resort in no time. Iida almost cried in relief after confirming that no helicopters were needed this year.

After unloading their things, they go into their respective rooms, one for the girls and one for the guys. The girls sigh in unison once they settle in, stretching their legs and melting into a relaxed puddle on the floor next to each other.

"This is soooo nice," Mina sighs. "Gosh, I wish we were vacationing for a week instead of just one day..."

"It is pretty nice." Tsuyu sighs happily under sunlight, leaning her head gratefully on Ochako's shoulder. "I'm so glad we're allowed to go, ribbit."

Tooru agrees vigorously, melting into her other side. "Yeah, Marketing had to cancel this year since it was so busy! I wish we didn't have to do that mission-vision thing, though…"

Ochako laughs. "We really don't have to do that! We don't have a strict schedule today, y'know?"

"Yeah. All of it is made-up," Monoma scoffs, lazily tapping his phone as he stretches out further on the floor next to them. "Hagakure, the only guy taking today seriously is Iida-kun. The rest of us are here to have _fun. _But by all means, keep him company if you want to."

"Is that so?" Tooru says flatly, shoving the protesting Monoma with her foot. "Meanie! Why the heck are you here, anyway!"

Monoma clicks his tongue in offense. "I can be anywhere I like! You guys have a nicer room, plus you don't have an Iida or a Kirishima doing Insanity-style warm-ups while I'm just trying to breathe!"

Mina sneers at him. "Yeah, we don't have a Shinsou here to cause you gay panic, either~"

Monoma scowls darkly. "Hypocrite! You saw how his biceps looked in that shirt, Ashido, you can't just expect me to-"

Honestly, these two are either aggressively gossiping or aggressively bullying each other. It's really _loud, _but it's also a lot of fun watching.

_This is the last time I'm doing this with everyone, huh, _Ochako thinks wistfully. She could cry, but she didn't want to ruin the fun. She absently picks out her phone to distract herself from her sentimental feelings, tapping her most recent conversation:

* * *

Uraraka Ochako (0809H): We're here! (⌒▽⌒)

Uraraka Ochako (0810H): Thanks for letting us use this property, Director.＼(＾▽＾)／

Director Todoroki (0810H): You're welcome.

Director Todoroki (0811H): Please refrain from messaging me in Secretary Utsushimi's style.

* * *

Ochako bites her lip, stifling a giggle as she replies.

* * *

Uraraka Ochako (0811H): Geez, Director! They're just kaomojis, they won't hurt you!

Director Todoroki (0812H): I'm sure they won't.

Director Todoroki (0812H): Still, I can't help the sense of foreboding I feel when I see them.

Uraraka Ochako (0813H): Chiiiiiiill (◕‿◕)

Uraraka Ochako (0813H): Just try it once, Director! ٩(｡•́‿•̀｡)۶

Director Todoroki (0814H): …

Director Todoroki (0814H): I should separate your workspaces. Utsushimi is influencing you in a negative way.

* * *

"Ocha-babes? You with us, hun?" Camie asks when she puffs her cheeks in a valiant effort not to laugh. "You've been super into your phone for a while now."

God, she forgot how snoopy _everyone _in the room is, when they immediately crane their necks to look at her screen. She shuts it off in a hurry and pockets her phone. "Sorry! Just… work stuff."

"Eh? But _we're _work stuff," Mina says, narrowing her eyes, and then smiling slyly. "Say, you're blushing pretty hard there, Ochako-chan~ it's Bakugou, isn't it?!"

Ochako shakes her head vigorously, just as Tooru screams next to her ear. "Hot Cafe Guy?! You guys are still in touch?! Ochako, you sneak!"

"No-no, I swear it's work," Ochako says weakly. "It's kinda hard talking to Bakugou-kun right now, since we're so busy…"

"I guess it's Todoroki-chan, then," Tsuyu says bluntly. "He's the person you text the most, _ribbit. _"

Ochako freezes. She sees Camie do the same thing from a distance.

Mina, Tooru, and Monoma whine in unison. "Are you kidding? Ochako-chan won't be so blushy-blushy if it's Directoroki!" Mina says.

"I'm not blushy-blushy," Ochako mutters in protest. Tooru and Mina, the bullies, proceed to poke her cheeks. They do feel a little warm now, but it's because they're so mean!

"Asui has a point though. The Director's so clingy he'd bug Uraraka even on a day like today," Monoma says with a mocking smirk. "So, is it our beloved leader making your heart aflutter? I've always suspected you've got awful tastes~"

Ochako had to keep herself from kicking Monoma. There's nothing wrong with her tastes in men, thank you very much!

(Although, her past self would beg to disagree. But things are different now!)

A beat passes though, where Ochako doesn't know how to respond to the questioning gazes on her. As she curses her brain for failing to come up with a lie, Camie jumps to her rescue. "Fam, come on, invasion of privacy's not cool~ Plus I'm sure it ain't Directoroki, mans is fully booked today."

"On a Sunday?! Directoroki's crazy!" Tooru squeaks.

Almost immediately, everyone backs off from Ochako like nothing happened. She suppresses a sigh of relief, looking gratefully at Camie, who gives her a knowing little smirk.

"IKR?" she says coolly, taking control so subtly that Ochako can't help but be impressed. "Anyways, babes, it's about time we got our SPF game on, see what I'm saying?"

* * *

Izuku takes a nice, long swig of the chilled sports drink that Satou hands him. "Wow, that's great! Thanks, Satou-kun!"

It's a nice sunny Sunday for a couple of reasons: One, Izuku has a day off for once, and after this he has grand plans on catching up to the new season of _Demon Player _for the rest of the day. Two, it's the perfect weather for their regular 10 km run. This week they upped the ante by asking Shouji and Satou to run with them. Of course Shouji leaves them in the dust, but Izuku thinks he and Todoroki run a close second, with Satou not far behind.

"No prob. It's on me, since I lost," Satou says with a booming laugh. "It's thanks to the mochi I've been taste-testing all week! Director, you're gonna have to pay for my gym membership after the week is over, eh?"

Todoroki hums absently as he rapidly texts through his phone, obviously not paying attention to anything else. Izuku looks up at Satou apologetically, who shrugs and looks at Shouji meaningfully. Shouji nods, and looks at Izuku.

_Ah, _Izuku thinks. _So I wasn't the only one imagining Todoroki-kun's mood. _

"Todoroki-kun," he says, after a few minutes of the three of them awkwardly waiting for him to finish. "Wanna cool down?"

"Hm."

"Like, right now? Cramps are a real thing, y'know."

"Hm."

Izuku feigns a gasp and points at the sky. "Look! A blimp! In the shape of a cat! It's Victoria!"

"Right. As expected, Midoriya."

Izuku falters, while Satou tries his best not to laugh.

"Hm. Looks like they're busy again," Todoroki mutters under his breath and clicks his phone off. Staring at them blankly, he says, "Aren't we cooling down? Midoriya, aren't you worried about cramps?"

"Wh-_ Director! _" Izuku stares at him bug-eyed. This time, Satou can't control his laughter, while Shouji allows a look of amusement in his eyes.

Todoroki stares at them, puzzled. "Did anything amusing happen while I was on the phone?"

Izuku tries his best not to face-palm. "Nothing, but… you have been glued to your phone for a while now, Director. Anything urgent going on?"

"Nothing, really," Todoroki answers thoughtfully. "Secretary Uraraka has been updating me about the status of their team-building exercise."

_We been knew. _Outwardly, he laughs shakily. "That so? How are they doing?"

"They have not started yet, so I wouldn't know." Todoroki fishes out his phone and puts it back in his pocket for the third time in a minute. Izuku concludes that Uraraka hasn't replied yet, if the subtle antsiness in his best friend's flat affect tells him anything.

As if just realizing that they're already cooling down, Todoroki mimics the exercises Shouji is doing, slightly out of sync and in the opposite direction. Geez louise, to think he was the first to tell Izuku off for the slightest mistake in their exercises! It's so weird seeing the Director so…

_Smitten? _The Demon Director? Izuku considers gifting another gift basket to the temple; miracles really do happen.

"Don't look so worried, Director!" Satou guffaws. "They're gonna be busy all day, which is why Uraraka-chan won't be able to reply. She'll be okay though!"

"Of course," Todoroki answers flatly. "It will be hard to confirm without updates, though."

_Just say that you just miss her, you big goof, _Izuku thinks with a wince.

Carelessly, Satou says, "I guess you could drop by there if you _really _wanna know how they're doing."

He knows Satou didn't mean anything serious by it, but all the same Izuku can't stop the anxious spike in his aura when he says it.

"Oh," Todoroki says. His eyes suddenly go bright. "We _could. _"

Izuku whips his head so fast that he gets double vision. "... _we _could?"

Todoroki looks at his watch, and then Shouji. "Could we?"

Shouji nods quietly beside him. "We could."

His plans... his blessed day off dedicated to anime! No, this can't be!

"T-Todoroki-kun," Izuku sputters, just as the Director instructs Shouji to start planning the route. "Are you serious? We're just gonna drop by there uninvited?!"

Todoroki considers this briefly, and nods. "We are their superior officers. It's our responsibility to make sure that our staff are always working as efficiently as they can."

"Yeah, but-" Did he know that Team Building day is an excuse to spend the day away from their bosses, and that their teams are probably sunbathing on the beach by now? God, if he didn't though, it'll look bad for everyone!

"Surprise visits are important to do sometimes. Takami-san does them frequently, doesn't he?"

"You're not a fan of how Hawks does things, though…" he mutters.

It's too late though; the way Todoroki's eyes are glimmering, nothing will change his mind now. "It's settled then. Midoriya, get dressed. We are going to the beach."

Todoroki leads the way out of the running track with a subtle spring to his step. Izuku rubs his face in frustration and looks at Satou pleadingly. "Satou-kun…"

Satou laughs and pats him painfully at the back. "Sorry, Chief! Looks like we're looking at a lot of barbecue tonight, huh?"

"Among other things," Izuku says, hoping that nothing crazy happens this day.

* * *

Predictably, they start arguing about what to do first. Half of them wanted to go in the water, half of them wanted to chill in the sun, while Iida wanted to start with a goal and expectations management exercise. To diffuse the situation, Ochako suggested going out to buy a watermelon first, telling Iida that they need all the potassium they can get to get on with today's activities. At least she got him to calm down and agree.

Their trip to the fruit stand probably took longer than it should because Camie took so many selfies and group pictures along the way, and also because Monoma argued with the fruit stand granny for the best apples when Shinsou casually mentioned wanting to take some home for Eri. In any case, it takes them about an hour before they go back to the resort with three watermelons and a bag of apples…

… just in time to meet four familiar figures waiting for them in front of the beach house.

Kirishima almost dramatically drops all the fruit, while everyone comes to a complete stop.

An awkward stand-off ensues, with both groups staring at each other in complete silence.

"Ashido," Monoma whispers to Mina urgently, "I think I might be hallucinating. But that person? With the Gucci shades, Prada jacket, YSL trousers?"

"Yeah. I see him too," Mina whispers, stepping backwards with the rest following suit. "Not sure though. I mean, they're probably not real, right?"

"-but I see them too," Tooru squeaks. "We're totally tripping, right?"

"I, too, am having the most complex and distressing hallucination right now," Iida mutters tremulously. "I suppose it _was _a bad idea to wear such a stifling suit in this weather. I must be having a heat stroke!"

From afar, Todoroki stares at them in interest, Shouji and Satou look vastly entertained, and Midoriya looks like he wants to bury himself in the sand. Ochako resists the urge to face-palm.

Shinsou blinks at them. "Dunno what you guys are talking about, but it looks like Director Todoroki and Chief Midoriya dropped by for a surprise visit-Hey, Director, Chief. How are you doing?"

"Shinsou," Todoroki greets flatly, snapping the rest back to their senses.

They immediately break out into a chorus of _Directooooooor!, _with Iida and Monoma going into grovelling mode (to which Shouto reacts blankly), and with Tooru and Tsuyu hopping to Midoriya's side to make sure that he isn't too harassed by the Director. Meanwhile, a sharp-eyed Camie subtly goes behind them to casually greet Shouji and Satou, who immediately bow to her in apology.

_The power, _Ochako repeats in her head. "Director," she says, once everyone regains their bearings. "We didn't expect to see you today!"

Todoroki hums affirmatively. "It _is _a surprise visit. I looked over the proposed program today, and wanted to see everyone's progress."

Ochako can almost hear the collective drops of sweat dripping at the back of everyone's necks. Iida, as usual, is the first to explain. "A-as you can see, we are progressing! We have established camaraderie by deciding on the fruits to buy, based on potassium content and taste!"

Todoroki blinks, while Ochako hears a synchronized set of face-palms behind her head. "I see. I thought you were doing a mission-vision review."

They laugh awkwardly. "We were about to, _ribbit _," Tsuyu says, looking at Midoriya for help. Obviously this does nothing, as he only continues to look defeated and sorry.

"... unless of course, you're doing something else," Todoroki says, looking at the distressed look on Ochako's face carefully. "It's all right, I'm not here to meddle. I'm here to observe."

That gets everyone to freeze. "Really?" Kirishima says, flabbergasted. "Is it really cool with you if we do our own thing, Directoroki?"

Ochako stares, more surprised than ever. This earns her a subtle upturn of Todoroki's lips, that only she notices. Probably. "Yes. It's your call."

After an initial stunned silence, everybody almost melts in relief. "Ahhh! This is great! Who cares about the mission-vision thing, right?!" Mina screeches happily.

"I suppose," Todoroki relents, cutting off Iida's impending protest. "So what are you going to do instead?"

The group proceeds to yell over each other, the loudest of them being _beach volleyball! _And _barbecuuueee! _Ochako stares at Todoroki meaningfully, giving him an _are you sure this is okay? _sort of look.

He returns it with an _I'm sure. Don't worry _sort of look.

_But it'll be weird for you. _

_It's okay. _He blinks quietly. _I just wanted to see you. _

His mouth hardly moves, but she knows he's smiling at her.

"Ochako-chan? You're red!" Tooru cries from beside her. "Are you okay? Is it heatstroke?"

She clears her throat. "No! It's just hot, that's all," she says with a shake of her head. "Ah, you know, Camie and I came up with something on the way here, maybe we can play that game instead?"

Camie smiles at her mischievously. "Find the flags. Gotcha. If it's cool though, I'mma go ahead and improvise?"

Ochako blinks. "Improvise?"

"Yuh." She smirks at everyone with her hands on her hips. With the mischievous glint in her eyes, the rest of the office starts to tremble in fear.

To Ochako's amusement, Todoroki is the one who looks most apprehensive about this.

* * *

So the day at the beach didn't go as planned. Directoroki's unpredictable, as usual, and as far as she's concerned Riki-chan, Shouji-kun, and the Chief didn't do their jobs to keep him contained. She guessed that it's cool that Directoroki's all soft around Ocha-babes and that he isn't harassing anyone today, but for serious? This is s'posed to be a stress-free day with the fam, minus the bosses, and they _ruined it! _

But it's okay. Camie's here to make sure that things is _lit. _

First of all, there has to be some accountability, right? It's only fair to make Riki and Shouji and the Chief do as she says. She isn't gonna be mean about it, but they needed to feel just a li'l sorry.

"You want me and Shouji-kun to hide the flags, Utsushimi-san?" Midoriya whimpers, on the verge of tears.

"Ya. Not hard, right?" Camie says, smiling sweetly. "After that, you're gonna ref the games, serve us snacks, keep us cool, clean up after us, that sorta thing~ sound good?"

Other people might call it slavery, but c'mon, Camie won't be mean against a superior officer and her boss's bodyguard. She's just asking them for lil favors, that's all!

Midoriya nods, tearfully gathering the flags and going off into the hill nearby, while Shouji silently accepts his tasks like a samurai about to go to war. Meanwhile, Satou has to make everyone watermelon margaritas and barbecue, making sure that he's done before they come back so that Ocha-babes doesn't have to see the fire.

As for Directoroki, well. She has grand plans, but first of all, he has to provide prizes for the games, since she and Ochako didn't have time to get some.

Directoroki sighs, reading over Camie's proposed list of prizes. "Fine. An iPad, a Galaxy Note 10+, airpods, the limited edition All Might Nintendo Switch, and a Roomba are acceptable prizes for your games."

From a distance, Midoriya actually _sobs. _Everyone else snaps their jaws shut after hearing all the things that Camie swindled… that Directoroki _donated _for them. Strangely enough, she saw more eyes sparkling at the Roomba than at anything else.

"That's lit, fam!" Camie grins, while Todoroki huffs. "Hold the phone tho, Directoroki, ain't done witchu yet-"

"Camie, I'm sure that's enough prizes," Ochako says. That cute li'l muscle under her eye twitches suggestively, telling Camie subtly to stop torturing her beau already.

"Chill, babes. No more prizes," Camie says with a laugh. "He gotta play with us, though~"

A chill surrounds the group, no doubt at the prospect of suddenly having to compete against Directoroki. Camie can't blame them, but also, she ain't changing her mind, even though Mina looks about ready to do a vibe check on her.

"Oh another thing, we ain't playing in teams anymore," she says above the silence. "We're workin' in pairs, 'kay? I think it'll be 100-emoji if we make it a li'l harder!"

Camie wished she had a camera for the look of horror on everyone's faces. A number of them look about ready to complain, but the slow realization that only one of them has to be teamed up with Directoroki makes them shut up pretty quickly.

"Fine," Todoroki says, schooling his features into nonchalance. "I accept your conditions, Utsushimi."

Camie smiles, and rapidly pairs the fam according to her very lit judgment: first of all, Tenya's gotta be hers, no question. Monoma's pretty cute when he goes all gay-panicky, so she puts him next to Shinsou-mans seems cool with it, anyway. Kiri's the only one who won't go deaf next to Mina, so they're together. Tsu and Tooru-babes are, like, an early 2000's musical duo, so they gotta be together too.

And-wouldn't you know it-there's no-one left for Ocha-babes than Directoroki.

"Camie," Ochako mumbles to her tensely. "What are you doing."

Camie winks. "I know you're gonna take care of the boss-man-_ wink-wonk-see-what-I'm-sayin'- _so just do it. I gotcha covered."

Ochako looks about ready to vibe check her too, but Directoroki does that "Secretary Uraraka" thing with his really hot voice, and of course homegirl's falling into his side all heart eyes and stuff. It's _cute. _

Midoriya and Shouji come back a few minutes later, gathers everyone at a makeshift starting line, and screams "Go!" That's all it takes for Tooru and Tsu to bolt like hell, leaving everyone behind; Mina screeches, practically lifting Kirishima in her arms so that they can catch up to the girls. Monoma and Shinsou do a half-assed kinda jog, with Monoma already sweating like he's in a spa.

As for TodoChako… (ya, she totes made up a ship name for them already)-well, they're doing that cute blushy-blushy thing while they awkwardly make their way into the woods, like it's a date. Camie instantly knew that she did the right thing.

"Utsushimi-kun! Make haste!" Tenya declares, swinging his arms like an oddly charming robot. "Whilst I care very little about the prizes, we must show our best efforts in participating in this invigorating exercise you designed!"

Oh. Right. Ocha-babes ain't the only one going blushy-blushy here. Camie laughs. "Sure thing, Tenya. Lead the way!"

* * *

It's breezy in the little patch of woods near the resort where the flags were supposedly hidden. In the midst of the calming sea air and the sway of the palm trees above them Ochako tries to wrap her mind around the fact that she is, once again, all alone with the Director.

"Are you uncomfortable?" Todoroki asks from beside her. He's walking at an arm's length away from her, neither of them really interested in flags now. "I understand that you didn't expect to spend time with me again today."

She shakes her head. It's not… bad, just surprising. She had prepared herself not to see him. It's unexpected, but more unexpected is how happy she was to see him again, like she hasn't seen him for ages.

"I'm good," she says. "I'm sorry about Camie, though! I swear the prizes thing was all her idea."

"No… I understand," Todoroki says. His face darkens; with amusement, Ochako figures he'll be doing that more now that Camie's about to fully take over her duties. "But all things considered, this is fine."

Ochako smiles at him teasingly. "Really? Even though she basically swindled you for prizes and made you walk into the woods?"

Todoroki shrugs. "Yes. Anything's fine, as long as I can spend time with you."

Ochako feels her face heating up in an instant._ There he goes again! _Why was he so deceptively _romantic? _"B-but… we spent all that time together last night," she stammers.

He nods. "I know. It doesn't feel like it's enough, though."

And then, that smile. Small, but definitely there, lighting up even the dark eye on his right. It strikes her then that she spent nine years with this man, yet seeing him smile so genuinely still leaves her a little awestruck.

As Ochako stares, a breeze dramatically blows from the west, making his hair flow with it. It feels like a shoujo manga sequence. Ochako tells herself that's the only reason why she suddenly feels as soft and gooey as a strawberry sundae.

She subtly pinches herself in the arm and looks the other way. "Are we really going to look for flags, Director? Come on, I really want that Roomba..."

Todoroki hums behind her, amused. "I can give you that and more. As my secretary, you have the special privilege of earning one without having to win any of the games."

Ochako scoffs. "All due respect to Camie, I'd rather win one than-"

She cuts herself off when her foot catches on a hardy root that definitely has it for the pink crocs that Monoma so loathes. Her ankle twists painfully, and she sees the ground zooming before she can do anything about it.

"Ah-" she squeaks on the way down. But a strong hand catches her by the arm before her face inevitably smacks against a tree, pulling her away just in time. Stunned, she falls back against a solid chest.

"Are you alright?" Todoroki asks, just as she regains her senses

"Yes. Fine," she breathes. With some effort to keep her composure, she takes a step away from him.

He sighs in relief. "Okay. Be careful next time."

"Of course," she says with a swallow. Her arm burns, like the rest of her body. "Director… my arm?"

He blinks. "What about it?"

She laughs awkwardly. She raises her forearm, showing him the point where his right hand encircles it completely.

"You can let go now," she murmurs bashfully.

Todoroki stares at the hand holding on to her arm, as if he wasn't aware of the strangeness of it before. Careful and gentle, he presses his fingers around her in a questioning way.

"Do I have to let you go, Uraraka?" he asks, voice low.

Ochako looks up at him with wide eyes. He stares back, gentle, genuinely curious. Under his gaze her heart beats ever faster, a tremor under her skin builds up in excitement. It's stupid to try to stop it from coming now, it's simply impossible to hide how happy his touch makes her feel, despite how awkward it is.

With a bite of her lip, she takes his hand and slides it down-slowly, down her forearm, letting herself marvel at the feel of his fingertips drawing lines over her suddenly sensitive skin-until it reaches her other hand, where their fingers entwine.

"It's probably easier like this."

Todoroki looks at their hands, and then at her. "This is more logical. Good thinking, Uraraka."

The rosy haze surrounding her dissipates in an instant.

She stares at him incredulously, and he explains: "Less awkward, more mobile. Easier to support you in case of another accident."

_Stupid Director, you're ruining it! _"Of course, Director. Only you would say that holding hands is logical," she mutters darkly.

"Because it's logical… we should do it more often," he says vaguely, with a gentle squeeze of her hand.

At the corner of her eye, she sees the corner of his mouth move upwards, and she's lost again. While all this blushing is good for her circulation, her heart's feeling a little tired from how he makes it shift from fast to slow. Ochako wants to strangle him.

Still, she can't disagree with him. His hand is larger than hers, warm, almost protective in the way he tugs gently when he leads the way through the woods. She wonders if it's a bad idea since they can run into the others. Every now and then they hear Mina screeching, Iida yelling _eureka! _and Monoma laughing like a maniac about flags. It's probably going to be weird for anyone to see them standing so close and holding hands, like… like they're a couple _, _or something.

Thunder rumbles, breaking her embarrassing train of thought. Just as Todoroki goes "Ah," fat drops of rain fall from the skies. It only takes a second before the rest of it falls heavy on their heads, leaving them no time to seek shelter.

Her head is suddenly covered from the rain by something that feels expensive. Shocked, she looks up at the Director, who ducks under the other end of his jacket.

"Come on," he says, too close to her ear. "There should be a gazebo nearby."

She nods dumbly and tries her best not to trip.

They make it to a gazebo at a secluded area, only slightly damp but flushed with exertion. The rain doesn't let up after they get to shelter, falling ever harder and crashing down with the noise of the waves making everything seem dramatic.

It won't be so bad, but the sea breeze makes the temperature drop down a few degrees. Ochako doesn't feel it for long though-Todoroki shrugs off his half of the jacket, shakes the water off, and then hangs it over her shoulder.

She sighs gratefully at the warmth around her. "Well. This feels familiar," she teases.

Director Todoroki huffs. "Ordinary men offer their jackets to their dates when it's cold. Yes, I remember."

She laughs. "I'm glad you do. But… aren't you cold?"

She's asking out of actual concern. The wind blows stronger, carrying sharp droplets of rain with it. But amazingly, even with just the plain cotton shirt he wore underneath, Director Todoroki doesn't seem affected by the chill.

"I'm always temperature regulated."

_[so it's okay, Ochako. You can wear my cardigan as long as you like.] _

Out of nowhere, Ochako's breath stops.

He blinks, stares at her with growing alarm. "Secretary Uraraka?"

_[But it's so cold! Why is it always cold in your house?] _

Ochako's mouth quivers as she struggles for a reply. "Uh-"

_[Sorry. Mom needs it. She doesn't like it when it's hot.] _

"Are you alright?"

_[My brother is the same too.] _

Suddenly, her head feels too heavy. She's vaguely aware of the Director's voice urgently calling out to her in the haze, of her hands gripping the cold steel of the railings around the gazebo. She squeezes her eyes shut, chasing after the memory in desperation.

There's nothing-she was close to something, but...

"Uraraka." Next to her, Director Todoroki shakes her arm. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"N-no, it's fine. It's. Um." She stares at him, struggling to match the voice in her head with the concerned face staring down at her. "I just thought… you said that to me before…"

The concerned look doesn't go away. "Yes," he says, slowly. "On our first date. Do you not remember?"

"Ah… was that it?"

Todoroki nods. "I've never needed to tell you that before."

No… the memory's slipping through her fingers again before she can make sense of it. She digs her fingernails into her palms in frustration. "Oh. Of course not," she says, choking through a smile. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

The rain falls, filling the silence between them. Ochako gazes at the scenery in an effort to calm down. It's hard, though, the longer she stays in silence, the longer Todoroki Shouto stands beside her feeling helpless to help her.

"Uraraka-"

"... I'm okay." She smiles. Grasps the jacket around her a little tighter. Looks at the waves crashing nearby. "It's… personal. I shouldn't have acted this way, though. I'm sorry for the trouble."

He's quiet for a beat. "I see," he says. She can't imagine how his face must look now. "Is it about your past?"

She flinches a little. "I… I honestly don't know."

"I see."

A wave crashes nearby, shattering the heavy silence between them. As the water recedes, Ochako hears him sigh.

"It must be difficult for you, Uraraka." Something warm encloses upon her right hand, squeezing it gently. "It's frustrating that I can't fill in the blanks for you. I wish I could, though. I wish I can understand more of what you're going through."

The sincerity of his voice cuts through the anxious swell of her heart, along with the warmth spreading from where their hands are linked. It's easier to look up at his face again and see that sincerity etched in all of his features. Something new, after all these years.

She smiles at him gratefully, squeezes his hand back and falls back to the present. The past can wait.

The rain stops falling.

* * *

They get back to the cabin, where they find everyone else soaked to the bone from running in the rain and eating all of the food that Satou has prepared, as if they were left starving in the woods for days. Once they see the Director, everyone stands in attention, waving their flags around and demanding Roombas. The debate gets so heated that the Director takes Ochako's suggestion of giving everyone a Roomba, except for Camie who wanted the All Might Switch. Everyone comes out of it happy, except for the sullen Midoriya, who eyes Camie with palpable jealousy.

After that, they settle down with the rest of the team to have dinner and drinks. Thanks to Satou everything isn't as burnt as they would have been, and because there were so many of them this year everything's livelier. Kirishima and Camie got Chief Midoriya dead drunk and everyone else tipsy from their drinking games, Mina made everyone dance, and Shinsou surprisingly had a lot of entertaining stories to tell that got everyone hooked. It's better than Ochako had expected for her last outing with her co-workers, a night that she'll remember for years to come.

And, well… it also helps that Director Todoroki would sneak his hand over hers for just a second, while everyone else is busy. If anyone saw how red her face was, at least she had alcohol to blame.

Soon the night comes to a close, with everyone ready to stumble into bed. However, instead of staying over, Todoroki instructs Shouji to carry Midoriya into the car and to prepare for the ride back.

"Directoroki, you aren't staying?!" Kirishima says in disbelief. "But, we've got a lot of manly bonding to do in the bedroom!"

Todoroki shakes his head, neutral despite Kirishima's poor choice of words that definitely got Monoma to gag behind them. "I've overstayed my welcome. We will leave so that you can enjoy the rest of your time more fully."

Amidst the disappointed _awwws _in the background, Todoroki shifts his gaze on Ochako and tilts his head.

Ochako smiles as subtly as she can.

With that, the Director leaves, and they stumble into their respective rooms. After some struggle with brushing their teeth and doing their facial care regimens while drunk, the girls curl up into their futons and drunkenly murmur _good night~ _to each other. Ochako waits carefully under her futon, watching for the steady rise and fall of the bundles containing Tsuyu-chan and Tooru-chan, who chose to sleep beside her.

When she's sure they're asleep, she hides underneath the blankets, takes out her phone, and opens up a text.

* * *

Uraraka Ochako (0213H): I'm happy you came here, after all. ٩(◕‿◕｡)۶

Uraraka Ochako (0214H): Have a safe trip back! (≧◡≦)

Director Todoroki (0216H): Thank you. I will.

* * *

It's silly how her eyelids suddenly feel heavy reading his text. As if seeing his response makes her heart calmer. She's about to let herself sleep when the phone vibrates one last time:

* * *

Director Todoroki (0216H): Sweet dreams, Uraraka. (─‿‿─)

* * *

The giggle that she accidentally lets out causes the girls around her to stir. Biting her lower lip, she puts down her phone and closes her eyes even if her mouth won't stop smiling.

* * *

**_AN: So this story finally surpassed 100k words? This is the first time I've done that for any story ever and I think,,, I'm just halfway through the story whuuut;;; at least they're finally able to hold hands? it was hard for me to relive the intimacy of holding hands for the first time with someone since it's been a while, so i wonder how that scene felt for you guys! T_T _**

**_Additional note for FFN readers: those were supposed to be emojis but since FFN limits a lot, I turned them into kaomojis ^_^' im not sure how differently the text reads without the original emojis, but i tried hehe_**

**_I'm happy to read the feedback on the last chapter despite my anxious ramblings on the last author note. I'm sorry about that, I am just a generally anxious person;;; I am making an effort to be happier with the things I write, even though they're not perfect! That said, I appreciate all the kind words and all the excited messages you guys send me T_T believe me, they keep me going, so thank you so much!_**


	16. I Shouldn't Have Done That

**and you say, stay **  
**Chapter 16: I Shouldn't Have Done That**

* * *

"Gods! I'm so stressed!" Mina cries as she stumbles into their makeshift workstation. She's wearing flats instead of her usual platforms today, so she means it this time. "I can't believe we were at the beach just this morning! I miss it already!"

And so it was. They woke up before sunrise, hastily took showers, and tried their best to function even though 90% of them had a hangover from drinking until the early morning. It was a miracle that Iida was able to drive them as fast as he did, for once beating all the red lights instead of being the slow, law-abiding motorist that he was. With just the medicinal juice packs that Tooru had chilling in Chief Midoriya's fridge, they all went straight to the art center to prepare for the two-day event.

"I feel it too, gurl," Camie agrees, even though she looks as chill as ever. "Too bad for these gorge tans that we can't even brag about, for real."

There's no time to brag, much less see the rest of the team. Mina just dropped by to chug on the vitamin waters in the station, probably because Kirishima nagged everyone on the groupchat to hydrate.

Ochako gives them a cheesy grin. "It's okay, we've got less than 72 hours to go! We'll be free before we know it!"

"Well aren't you bright and shiny," Mina grumbles. And then, her eyebrows wiggle. "Oh, but it's so obvious why you're in a good mood, Ochako-chan~ You've been on that phone since the early morning, haven't you?"

Ochako's eye twitches. "I was just using my phone a little bit this morning…"

"A little bit?! You were glued to that thing the entire ride, honey! If I was your mother, I'd have plucked that thing right off your hands and had your eyesight checked!"

Mina actually looked like a Tiger Mom right then, with her hand on her hip, her eyebrow raised and her monologue unstoppable. Ochako can only whine behind the stack of boxes she's carrying as Mina goes on, until-

"-so I guess things between you and that… _mystery person _are going well, huh?" Mina ends with a wiggle of her eyebrows. "Gosh, I wonder which person who gets up at the ass-crack of dawn has gotten Ochako-chan's attention… curious, curious~"

_Uraraka Ochako (0430H): Good morning, Director! _

_Director Todoroki (0435H): Good morning, Secretary Uraraka _

_Director Todoroki (0436H): Or should I say, good meow-ning _

_Director Todoroki (0436H): [image attached: ] _

_It's not who you think, _Ochako thinks desperately, as she tries in vain to laugh it off. "Oh gosh I wish we could talk more but we got aaaall these pizzas to deliver to the LoV right now!"

"Hmm? Trying to weasel your way outta this one, huh?" Mina says with a pout, facing Camie. "Speaking of which, Demon Secretary, how come you guys are doing pizza delivery to the LOV instead of following the Demon Director around like usual?"

Unminding of her brand-new nickname, Camie answers, "We gotta make sure the LoV's vibing. Meanwhile, Directoroki's gonna be chilling with Hawks the entire day. Chairman's orders, yo. Yaopapa galleries are top priority."

"Yikes," Mina says, a trace of sympathy in her voice. "Gosh, Yaopapa's something else, isn't he? I feel like throwing up when we met him last week! I hope we don't run into him too much in the next couple days, ugh!"

She leaves soon when Iida reprimands her in the groupchat for being 45 seconds late to their next task. With her out of the way, Camie and Ochako walk to the concert hall where the League of Villains are holed up for rehearsals.

Ochako isn't the biggest fan of the LoV-at least, not as big a fan as Reiko, who had cried when Ochako gave her backstage passes. But she knew enough about their impact-words, melody, stage and media presence that has everyone going insane over them. She didn't know what to expect coming in, though.

Upon pushing the door open with her shoulder, the music immediately thrums through her, shaking the very core of her bones.

In a word, it's _hypnotizing, _and it's hard to pinpoint why. They are a dissonant mess at first glance, but somehow there's an underlying structure to Compress' rapid fingers working the keyboard, Spinner's angry slapping of the bass, Twice's manic beating of the drums, and Toga's merciless shredding of the electric guitar. At the forefront is Shigaraki Tomura, vocals warbling, barely perceptible at the mic but somehow radiating power with each movement. For some reason Ochako (and everyone else in the theater, for that matter) can't look anywhere else but him.

The thread that Shigaraki uses to pull their attention snaps when he turns away and steps back for the instrumentals. Ochako releases a breath she doesn't know she's holding.

"What the fuck, he's amazing," Camie whispers beside her. Her eyes are wide with awe. "I thought my heart stopped back there."

"Me too," Ochako whispers back urgently. She decides with herself not to look up at the stage again. The pizzas weren't getting lighter, and she didn't want to lose herself while she's working.

Except the sound of a guitar has her looking up at the stage again. In an instant, it's as if all the air has been sucked out of the room for the second time today.

It's hard to make him out at first since his presence is so subdued, but she finds him.

Ochako wouldn't be surprised if it was from his insistence that his side of the stage was dimmer, so that he with his dark hair and clothes are swallowed in the shadows. His stance isn't as flashy as Toga's, who's practically devouring all the attention on her side; his eyes are trained on his guitar and nowhere else.

Still, Ochako can't pull her eyes away from him-raven hair, snow white skin and the flare of blue eyes, glowing in the dark. The way his adorned fingers fly expertly over the fretboard, the silent confidence in his posture. She can't explain why-after all, Shigaraki is obviously the center of the band, mediating all the chaotic energy into something that _strikes _, but looking at him she instantly knows that this is a song that Dabi wrote.

"Ocha-babes? You with me?"

Ochako snaps back to reality and gapes at Camie, who's staring at her with a quirked eyebrow.

"You okay? Almost dropped the pizzas there."

"Oh-" Ochako says, just as the song ends and raucous applause comes from varied directions in the theater. "Yeah… uh, they're really good, huh?"

Camie hums affirmatively. "I didn't know you were a Dabi fucker too. You and Hawks should totally fangirl together about that."

"I'm not!" she says, probably too defensively. She does _not _like how Camie's smirk looks. "... let's just get everyone fed already."

Camie chuckles and follows her out.

Seeing the two secretaries with their food, most of the band comes up to meet them excitedly, except for Shigaraki who disappears with Kurogiri backstage. Spinner, with his fearsome facial tattoos, is the first to dive into a box of cheese pizza, while Twice and Toga immediately start complaining about how greedy he was.

"Don't fight, children!" Magne, the assistant manager for the band, screams. To Camie, she pleads, "Honey, help me sort this out, won't you? I'd _die _if these knuckleheads accidentally broke something in your lovely theater-"

"Yes, ma'am," Camie says with a salute. "Ocha-babes, is it okay if you update the bossman for now?"

"'Kay," Ochako mumbles passively, as she watches Magne try to corral her gang like a kindergarten teacher trying to stop a baby brawl. Camie helps by taking photos with Toga happily posing for her with finger-hearts while the boys fight behind them. What a tough job it was for Magne to keep them in line…

She takes out her phone to update the Director about their work. _Let's see… LoV rehearsals going well… stage design and lights being arranged on schedule… Iida reports no problems... _

_Uraraka Ochako (1203H): In other words, everything's going as planned on our end, Director. _

_Uraraka Ochako (1203H): I hope things are okay there too. _

_Director Todoroki (1204H): They are, thank you. _

_Director Todoroki (1204H): At the very least, I have not found a reason to remove Hawks yet. _

_Uraraka Ochako (1205H): Gosh. Please don't kill him, Director. _

_Director Todoroki (1206H): I won't. At least, not until the next 72 hours are up. _

She has to stop herself from replying immediately. She'd noticed recently that it's too easy to forget how quickly the time passes when she talks with the Director. She's only able to hold herself back to remain professional. _We can talk more after work, _she tells herself brightly.

"Hey there, Astronaut."

Ochako raises her eyes and immediately sees bright blue eyes peering at her. She almost drops her phone in surprise.

Now that he's off stage, Dabi's trademark medical mask is off. His high-collared jacket is unzipped at the top so that she has a clear view of his face. "Watch it. I don't want you to wreck your phone. Your shitty boss'll blame me if you do."

Ochako laughs awkwardly. "Oh… no, it's fine, don't worry."

Dabi raises his eyebrows, a cocky smirk on his lips like always. Strangely, Ochako doesn't find it as offensive as she had before. In fact he didn't seem to have his guard up at all today, a stark difference from the last time they met face to face.

"Er… I hope you don't call me out as a fake fan or anything since I only listened to you guys casually before this, but you guys are _amazing. _My ears are just-" Ochako finds herself stammering, cheeks warming up even though she doesn't want to. "And you. You play guitar really, really good-"

"Aw, how sweet of you, li'l fangirl," he sneers lightly. "I got that. I saw you staring from up there."

Her face flushes hot again. "Li'l fangirl?! You're so full of it! Did you forget who's in charge of buying you meals and other things for the next two days? You have to be nice to me!"

He laughs again, but it's not mean at all. She's temporarily in awe looking at him, because it's so strange to be around him without the usual heaviness surrounding him.

"Yeah. Pizza. Wow. True gourmet," Dabi comments with a twist of his mouth. "I was hoping you guys would save me from a hundred days of suffering from this shit."

Ochako snorts. "About that…"

She takes a separate bag and hands it over to him. "Here! We got you something else."

Dabi stares at her skeptically before taking out the food inside. "Huh. Chicken," he says in actual awe.

She nods. "I was told by Kurogiri-san that you wanted to eat something else! Of course we thought that far ahead."

Well-that was partly a lie. Takami gave her a heads up about how picky Dabi was, and advised her strongly to make sure he eats something. At the same time, he told her never to mention his name in front of the guy.

_You know how I am around celebrities… very, very shy, _Takami had told her, with an unconvincing grin.

Dabi actually looks a little lost for words. "Didn't think anyone cared that I was dying here. So. Thanks."

Ochako wanted to tell him that he was being silly-of course people are gonna care about him, he's part of one of the biggest bands in the world. And if anything, at least_ she _was there to make sure that at least, he wasn't having a bad time. She owed him that much.

But he cuts her off with a chuckle before she can speak up. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort, but uh. I don't eat a lot of chicken either."

Ochako's brows furrow. "Oh. You're allergic?"

"Yeah, you can say that." Gosh, Hawks wasn't kidding when he said he was fickle with food! "I'll text you next time about food, though. If it's not a bother."

Oh, that could work. They've been exchanging brief messages about the upcoming event anyway. It won't be a bother at all. "Anytime you need something, just text me, okay?"

Before Dabi can reply, someone with twin buns slinks next to him and nudges him hard at the ribs. "Dabi-kun, you're _mean. _How could you monopolize Ochako-chan like this behind my back? Hi, Ochako-chan, is this jerk bothering you?"

"Ah, Toga-san!" Ochako bows politely. "No, he wasn't! Um, you were great up there! I didn't know you were Slurp Mask, I wish you told us the first time!"

Toga Himiko giggles and takes both of Ochako's hands in hers, unminding of the exasperated roll of Dabi's eyes. "I would have, but Chitose-san said I had to keep quiet… I was _dying _to tell you though! I didn't want to lie to you! You know that, right? I don't like lying to the people I love, nosiree!"

"Oi, you're being creepy again, Fangs," Dabi quips. "Leave the shortstack alone. She's with me."

"Ehh? Says who?" Toga protests, just as another wave of heat goes up Ochako's face. "I saw her first, Dabi! She's mine!"

There isn't much that Ochako can do when Toga clings to her like a possessive koala except to silently ask Dabi for help. Dabi looks ready to pry the girl off of her, until another commotion happens on stage.

She can understand, suddenly, why Magne looks perpetually stressed when mocking hoots and rowdy curses are thrown at Compress, who started playing something on the keyboard for fun.

"The fuck is that, old man?!" Spinner yells from below the stage.

"You don't know this song? It's a classic!"

"It's old as fuck, that's what it is! Like you!"

"Shut up, you have no taste!"

Nevertheless, Compress doesn't stop playing the tune. To be fair, it _is _a classic, and it only takes a few more bars before the rest of the room starts grooving and singing the first lines of the song. At one point, Spinner goes _fuck it _and jumps on the stage with one of the spare guitars lying at the back.

After that, it was like completely flipping a switch. Ochako stares, awed, as the stage crew and the rest of the staff convene at the front of the stage and start dancing and singing along.

"The fuck," Dabi mutters under his breath.

"Oh, I love this song!" Toga swoons. "Ochako-chan, you should dance with me, okay?"

"Huh, but how-"

"Like this, like this!" Toga takes both of her hands, starts waving them around in time with the music, pulling her closer. "Relax, okay? Gosh, you're good at this, Ochako-chan! We should hang out together all the time, right?"

"Uh," Ochako stammers, looking up at Dabi for help just because there's nobody else there. To be fair, Dabi seems to understand. He moves behind Toga, possibly intending to render her immobile by grabbing her by the arms, but someone else beats him to it.

"Yo, I'm getting major FOMO here," Camie says, dancing her way towards the girls. "Himiko-chan, come on, I wanna groove witchu too!"

Toga squeals and lets Camie take one of her hands. She doesn't let go of Ochako just yet, though, and she isn't sure how obvious her distress was. Camie notices and looks at Dabi with a tilt of her head.

"Buddy you aren't getting out of this one," she says, hooking her free arm around Dabi's, who stiffens immediately. "Come on, let's party!"

Ochako looks just about as horrified as Dabi does. What if he gets violent? A moment passes by where his eyes flash, as if ready to do just that.

To her surprise though, Dabi does nothing else but roll his eyes and doesn't pull away. "Whatever."

Ochako is stunned as Camie smugly leads him and Toga into a circle of some sorts, so they can dance side to side. It starts out weird, with Ochako awkwardly moving as much as Toga wants her to and Dabi standing like a statue next to her. It's soon apparent that Camie is a really good dancer, so good that Toga is completely enamored with her after just a few seconds of watching her.

"Honey, you're _so good _at this," Camie says. Not flinching even when Toga screeches happily, she gestures to the front and center of the stage. "You wanna go get Twice? Look at him, he looks ready to cry over there."

Toga makes a face, but relents when it turns out that Camie is accurate: how his eyes look weepy behind his mask is a mystery, but he does. "Fine. But only 'cause you say so, and 'cause he's super annoying when he cries."

And just like that, Camie gets Toga off of Ochako and far away so she can breathe again. Twice brightens up from afar, given new life now that Toga is twirling along next to him.

Ochako releases a breath. "Wow. Toga-san is, um… _passionate, _isn't she?"

Dabi scoffs. "It's okay, you can say creepy. Stalkery. Needs to be locked up in jail with the key thrown to the sharks. We all do."

"That's not a nice thing to say," she says. Still, she bites her lower lip, tries not to chortle even when Dabi stares at her skeptically. "You guys are all mean for saying that!"

"Well, the same is true for most of us anyway." Dabi gestures to his bandmates, yelling out the song lyrics drunkenly all over the place. "Look at them and tell me they don't belong in the Tartarus basement with a straitjacket on."

This time, Ochako can't stop laughing. "Well, maybe _you _do, but-"

It's a joke, but her laughter dies down in the next second she sees the flash of distress in Dabi's eyes. Tension is clearly etched along the stress lines of his face, and for a second Ochako thought he looked small and frightened of something painfully real.

"Oh, I didn't mean-"

But it doesn't last very long-in the next moment, Dabi puts his hand on his face, and when he pulls his hand back he's wearing that irritating self-assured smirk that he always has, so that Ochako can't believe she fell for anything.

"Aw, were you worried that you hurt my feelings, li'l fangirl? Ain't that cute."

Ochako puffs her cheeks and turns away. "The hell! I thought you were serious! See if I do anything for you again!"

He hums, looking at her in interest. "Doesn't matter to me. Besides, it's hard to take you seriously. You're still dancing."

Huh, so she was. If moving her shoulders side to side and bobbing her head in time with the music can be counted as dancing. She shrugs. "W-well… Mr. Compress is really hitting that keyboard really well, so…"

He scoffs. "You're not even doing it right."

She trails off when a cold hand takes one of hers, raises it over her head, gently guides her so that her feet goes around a small circle where she stood. The world spins around her in time with the music, and when she stops she's looking right up at raven black and snow white and blue.

Something stubborn and vague tugs at the back of her head. Like a movie with missing frames, a background with chunks of scenery missing. But there's an undeniable picture there begging to be formed: a backyard, with yellowing grass and a tree. A jacket that's not hers, the thickness of her breath. Someone with kind eyes watching her from behind. The very same pair of eyes, looking down at her like they do now.

Wide-eyed and ruminating, Dabi stares at her as if surprised at what he did too.

She lets go of his hand, grip shaking slightly as she does. He lets his hand drop quietly to his side, gaze looking down and to the side as he processes things. In her own mind, the image is disjointed and insensible, but real. She wonders if he's come to the same conclusion:

_This has happened before _.

Ochako rubs her hand, still cold from his touch, wondering why it felt strange.

Somewhere in the distance, the song comes to an end, followed by loud applause, Compress bowing and revelling in compliments and calls for an encore. The noise is enough to break the moment between them, and she gets her bearings back enough to look up at him. "Um… if you don't like the chicken, I should buy you something else," she stammers lamely, turning to leave.

"Hey."

Thoughts are running through his head; she convinces herself that she can hear the rapid pace of them as he stares at her, quietly raises his hand and places it on top of her head.

Ochako stares at him, stunned.

"When all this is over," Dabi finally says, voice so soft she couldn't believe it's from him, "When we don't owe anyone from this damn company anything, we should set things right."

The memory tugs more insistently now, odd and broken, dodging her understanding, begging to be formed. She has no choice but to nod. "Okay."

He lets her go, just as Shigaraki reappears on stage and gets everyone's attention. "Let's get back to work. The kids are about to go here for rehearsal," he grumbles, and the rest of the room instantly follows, like soldiers following their platoon leader. With some obvious reluctance, Dabi pulls his medical mask over his nose, zips his jacket up, and glances at Ochako one last time before moving on to the stage as if nothing has happened.

As the music blares in her eardrums, messing with all her senses, Ochako goes back to the broken images in her head and wonders why all she can think about is where Todoroki Shouto could have been.

* * *

"And the event ends with a private party for our investors and other special guests. So, Miss Yaoyorozu can do whatever she likes by this time," Takami Keigo says with a flourish of his hand, as he proudly shows everyone the program. "Does her team have any questions?"

Kendo Itsuka, Yaoyorozu's manager, hums thoughtfully over a stack of papers. "This looks great. But can we get the program and the press attending the Shishida Jurota event next door?"

Takami smiles at her brightly. "You haven't asked them personally? I thought you were close friends with Shishida and the artists contributing to his gallery."

Kendo smiles back. "Let's see the final program anyway, Takami-san. I know you've done measures so that Miss Yaoyorozu doesn't run into anyone _unsavory, _but it won't hurt to be sure, right?"

Shouto doesn't miss the cutting gaze in her eyes, instantly realizing that this woman can handle herself around a guy like Takami Keigo. By the way Yaoyorozu calmly looks on, she might be even more formidable than she looks.

"Wow, you're sharp, Kendo-san!" Takami laughs, pulling out his tablet. "Okay, I'll give you this. Stays between the two of us though, okay? There's a lot of high-profile people attending the other event too, see? Look-"

Shouto unwittingly spaces out, hand drifting automatically to his phone to check his messages. He ignores the unread ones from the Chairman, as well as the groupchat with his staff where Kirishima sends another _don't forget to hydrate, bros! _Message.

Instead, his thumb drifts idly and hesitates over a message sent five hours ago. Her profile picture smiles idly at him, along with the preview of her last status update. Utsushimi has sent him the rest of it through the staff groupchat so they didn't have a reason to send a message again, which was okay, because it means that everything is going smoothly. For professionalism's sake, he's decided to speak with her casually after her all the day's work is done.

_"Todoroki-kunnnnn. It's called _flirting!" Midoriya's drunken ramblings from that early morning drive back home replays in his head. _"You're f-flirting with Uraraka-san! It's cute, but don't mess it up and scare her off, okay? You're really, really awkward-" _

He frowns upon the memory. He had almost dropped Midoriya off along the street if Satou had not stopped him and if he didn't know that the executive would prostrate himself in apology once he's sober (he does).

The strange lightness of his mood also helped. His mouth feels strange, wanting to curl upwards the entire way home, until the morning, and all throughout work.

Until this moment, where his head feels heavy. It's been a long day, and as per orders of the Chairman he needed to arrange things and accompany Yaoyorozu for a photo/video shoot around the empty gallery for her vlogs as part of event promotions. It was interesting at some points, but they have been at it the entire day and he's feeling drained.

As he puts his hand up to rub his eyes, he hears the conversation around him stop.

"Need a break, Director?" Takami asks. "I can get us some coffee."

Shouto shakes his head. "The sooner we get this done, the better," he says. "If all of you are well enough, we should continue."

To his surprise, even as the others around them make affirmative sounds, Yaoyorozu shakes her head and stands up. "I don't need coffee, but I do need some fresh air. Director, won't you join me?"

Shouto blinks in surprise. Before he can reply, Yaoyorozu turns, with a decisive click of her heels that doesn't leave room for anyone to say no. With a glance at Kendo and Takami, who nods and shrugs respectively, he quietly follows her out to the balcony.

It's a large space enough to fit close to forty people, with an impressive fountain that reflects the moon above. Yaoyorozu walks past this, opting to stare at the city below near the edge, where it's much too chilly for the fresh air that she claimed she needed. She must have lied; Shouto begins to suspect as much when she takes out a cigarette from her purse and lights it up without an ounce of hesitation.

She glances at him with raised eyebrows. "Do you want one?"

Shouto shakes his head. Uneasily, he stands next to her as she blows a puff of smoke in the opposite direction. "I didn't know you smoked," he says, after a beat of silence.

"Of course not. I made sure you never knew."

Was it possible to keep such a thing secret, when they've dated each other for a month and have been friends for far longer than that? "Why not?"

"Secretary Uraraka," she answers vaguely. At the look of confusion he sends her, red lips curve outward and stain the filter of her cigarette. "She's afraid of fire, isn't she? You told me after you introduced me to her. I didn't want to do anything terrible to someone you obviously cared about."

"Obviously?" Shouto repeats.

"_ Obviously _." Yaoyorozu gives him a humorous look. "Come on, Shouto. I'm not stupid."

Of course she wasn't stupid. She was consistently on the top of the dean's list in UA and would have graduated with high honors if she didn't transfer out in the middle. Shouto also knew that she finished some masters courses and wrote a few academic papers during her first years as an actress. He didn't imply that she was stupid in any way, but all the same…

"It's okay." She smiles at him serenely. "You didn't know how much you liked her then, but I can see now that you've realized it. It's about time, really. I'm happy for you, I truly am."

"How do you know?" Shouto says, trying not to look too red-handed. "About how I… I mean, about Secretary Uraraka and I."

She shrugs. "Call it intuition. That, and… you keep smiling down on your phone the entire day."

"I see." Out of instinct, his hand comes to his pocket to grip his phone. "It… could have been anyone, though."

"Is it?" Yaoyorozu instantly looks amused when he shakes his head vehemently. "See? There are no new dating rumors about you, for one thing. And to be more blunt, you aren't as terrible to her now as you were before. At least, you're not interrupting our time together with some excuse so you can bring her to where you are with some new assignment for the two of you to work on."

Ah, he did that frequently not long ago, didn't he? It feels like a lifetime ago that he treated Uraraka differently. "I guess I'm trying to improve myself."

She nods. "You are. You're changing for the better, Shouto."

He looks up at her in surprise, just as she puts out a cigarette on one of the ashtrays she placed on the ledge. "I want to make sure you don't ruin things between the two of you no matter what others may say about it. I think it's going to be difficult, especially in the coming days."

"What makes you say that?"

She gives him a withering look. "We've been talking about the media coverage for this event the entire day, Shouto. Since the two of us are going to be seen together most of the time, there will be stories. You didn't notice that your corporate team took videos of the two of us?"

Of course he noticed, but there was nothing romantic about their interactions. It was mostly separate shots of them talking about the event, with some shots of Yaoyorozu showing the team around the gallery while Shouto walked in the background. It was amicable, like how their relationship was in actuality.

"That's enough for most people to jump to conclusions. Sadly, not enough for Father. I won't be surprised if he pressures us to spend more time together than necessary."

It's not enough for Enji, either. "You're right about that," he mutters. He should tell Utsushimi to do extra management of that issue with the PR department after this event.

She sighs, lights up another cigarette. Shouto notices with some worry that her cigarette case is nearly empty. "Believe me, I think it would be… troublesome if we're forced into things. In fact I hope something happens tomorrow that will kill any idea of us being together. For the meantime we have to brace ourselves. Understood?"

He nods, surprised at the authoritative tone of her voice that he's never heard before. "Understood."

She smiles, wearily this time, as she works on her second cigarette. Shouto has always thought that Yaoyorozu is a beautiful person, albeit a lonely one despite her polished smiles and regal stance. He doesn't think he can feel what he felt for Uraraka for more than a decade, but he immediately understood how anyone could fall willingly to her feet.

She looks different now though, with her hair down and smoke coming out of her suddenly honest mouth. "Hey, Shouto."

He turns to her. She inhales, making him wait for a moment or two before finally facing him. When she speaks again, there's an odd look in her eyes like she's preparing herself for the worst. "How's… Aunt Rei doing?"

Shouto keeps his face and his voice still, despite the instant turmoil underneath. "Why do you ask?"

"We're friends," she says quietly. "Isn't it normal for me to ask how your mother is doing?"

No, it wasn't normal. She has never asked again since he avoided the question more than twenty years ago. Yaoyorozu's in a strange mood the entire time they were here.

But then again, Shouto is in a strange mood too. After ignoring the pangs in his chest, he answers, "She should be okay."

She stares at him carefully. "It sounds like you aren't sure."

He shakes his head, after a moment's hesitation. It's been a while since he knew where Mom was. It's been a while since he asked himself where she could be hiding and how he can meet her again.

As expected when he thinks of her, his heart grows heavy and the scar on his face stings. He closes his eyes, wills the feeling of boiling water away. "No," he answers, voice even.

Yaoyorozu's gaze softens. "I'm sorry," she says. "You don't have to answer me if you don't want to. But don't you want to know for sure how she is?"

Again, Shouto shakes his head. It's enough for him to know that Natsuo is keeping her safe, far away from him or Enji or the other villains in the corporation.

Besides, if he pushes things on his end, "It'll be too troublesome."

She stares at him carefully, a genuinely worried look in her eyes that makes him wonder where the curiosity came from. She's seen the bad sides of his family for years now, but she rarely pressed him for details because of the restrictions placed on them. Why would she want to find out right now? What did she want to know?

He doesn't get enough time to be suspicious over it, though.

"Troublesome. Right." Suddenly wistful, Yaoyorozu puts out her second cigarette and places her case in her purse. "We both lead troublesome lives, don't we? Did you ever think that it would be nice not to have this kind of life?"

Shouto blinks. "What do you mean?"

"You know…" Yaoyorozu shrugs, gesturing over the massive city below them. "Haven't you wondered what it would be like if you weren't where you were right now? Look at all the other places you could be right now."

He stares at her carefully, because there aren't many moments in his life where he wasn't sure where he needed to do next. The old man didn't make it hard for him to figure out the 'correct' path. That's not true for the rest of his life, though.

"So you've never thought of it? Doing things, going places, seeing people that you liked, and not what your family wanted?" Yaoyorozu asks honestly.

"No, I don't think…"

He trails off when his eyes stray in the direction that Yaoyorozu looks at, and out of nowhere he remembers Uraraka. They've been all over the city and beyond for the past nine years, but when he gazes upon the different clusters of lights down below he thinks of her, and her face-shocked when he proposed to her in the tiny neighborhood she lived in, wide-eyed in front of MightyLand, when the lights first came on, angry after his altercation with Bakugou, red-faced and shy pressed up close to him in the subway.

He wouldn't have met her if he didn't do as his father said and became one of the top executives of Endeavor. For that he'll never regret anything. Still, it doesn't change the fact that taking her as his secretary all those years ago was the first of the few decisions he made, thinking of himself rather than the future set out for him. Asking her to marry him is the second thing. And now a slew of impulsive thoughts of doing things, going places with her despite what his family wanted are entering his mind.

His hand unconsciously grips his phone in his pocket.

"See? We're not that different." Yaoyorozu smiles at him. "Don't worry about it. I think about living a different life often, too."

He nods. On the surface, it's easy to say that Yaoyorozu is a blessed person, but as someone with a similar background, he knows enough to see beyond that. "Maybe you'll get what you want someday," he says, meaning it honestly.

She smiles, unconvinced. "I hope you're right."

They both look at the entrance at the sound of footsteps. "Hey, you two!" Takami says, a big smile on his face. "You guys were taking a while, so I wanted to make sure how you're doing! Momo-chan, everything good?"

Yaoyorozu smiles graciously and bows her head. "Of course, Takami-san. Director Todoroki and I were just making conversation."

"Good, good," Takami laughs, gesturing to the person behind him. "Well, in any case, Uraraka-chan dropped by here to get you anything the two of you might need. Like coffee, snacks, maybe a new pack of cigarettes for you-but don't worry, Kendo doesn't know anything about that part-"

Yaoyorozu coughs, just as Shouto sends a sharp glare at Takami's direction. "No… I'm fine, honestly. Please, Uraraka-san, don't worry about it."

Secretary Uraraka bows quietly. "Then I'll reconvene with Kendo-san inside, if it's alright."

"Nah, I got this part handled, don't worry!" Takami laughs, waving his hands around. " I can actually hand over Shouto-kun to you now if you'll have him~"

Uraraka's cheeks instantly turn pink. "Well-I can wait until everyone is formally done, so-"

"And I'm telling you, we're practically done for the day," Takami sing-songs. "Unless you wanna talk with him a lil bit more?"

Yaoyorozu looks uneasy for a beat, before smiling politely. "No, we're good. We've got an early start tomorrow, and Itsuka and I need to go home as soon as we can."

"'Kay! That's actually a good idea," Takami says, escorting her inside. "Shouto-kun, Uraraka-chan, we'll see you tomorrow bright and early here, okay? Don't be late~"

"Right," Shouto grumbles, as the other man disappears inside. Despite himself, he sighs deeply and rubs the space between his eyes with some irritation.

Uraraka clears her throat beside him. "Do you have a headache, Director? I have your medicines here."

Always efficient, she brandishes a painkiller and a bottle of water for him. It's ridiculous how prepared she is for any situation that it's comical. Shouto wonders why he's never noticed before.

_Right. I was terrible to her then, _he thinks, remembering Yaoyorozu's accurate appraisal of him. "It's okay. I don't need those," he says.

She looks up at him in concern. "You don't look okay, though. Do you want a different painkiller? I can go get that for you now."

He nods. "That's a good idea."

Just as she's about to ask what he wanted, he goes for it by stepping into her space, taking her hand and entwining his fingers with hers. A shot of warmth from her skin hits him like a warm drink in the winter, spreading into his system pleasantly. His eyes shut by instinct to relish the feeling.

_Strange. It's just the touch of her hand. Objectively speaking this should do nothing to relieve my headache, _he thinks idly, squeezing her hand a little. _But it does. _

When he opens his eyes, Secretary Uraraka is more flustered than he's ever seen her, face an impressive shade of pink. "Director, a-are you feeling okay? You're acting pretty weird…"

He shakes his head. "I'm okay now. But if you hate this, I'll let go of you now."

He'd hate it though, so it's a relief when she stammers a 'no'. "Of course I don't hate it. I'm just… surprised, that's all," she says. And then, after a beat of silence, she adds, "This feels nice for me, too. Not weird."

"Good." He looks at her, wondering why it felt too long since they've last seen each other, and why she looks a little… different. "Secretary Uraraka. Are _you _alright?"

She blinks, snapping her head up in attention. "Oh, I am. W-why wouldn't I be?"

He stares at her in curiosity as she frets a little inside her head, before she sighs and makes up her mind on something. "Sorry. That's a lie," she says, quietly. "Something happened today, and I'm really torn about it."

"Is that so?" Shouto asks. "Tell me. I can help."

She shakes her head. "Sorry, Director… this is about your brother and me." And then, seeing the way he froze hearing it, she bites her lip. "'Do you still want to hear about it? I know that the two of you aren't okay, so…"

Strangely enough, despite his chest stinging at the thought of the two of them together, he doesn't feel the surge of anger he expected to have. "No. If it's bothering you, I'd like to hear about it."

Uraraka looks at him, surprised once again. He can't blame her. Even under pretense, he's never this generous with anyone. He's surprised at himself too.

"Well… okay."

And so Uraraka obliges.

As if not trusting herself to stand up, she sits down along the fountain's edge, staring at the surface wistfully as she tells him about her encounter with Touya that afternoon. How different he seemed, how he looks more familiar the longer she looks at him, how she's more sure as ever that they have met before. From the sound of it the picture in her head isn't complete yet, but there are specific details surfacing in her mind that never came up for the past decade that she's been searching. She tells him that there's bound to be more of that, maybe, if they talk a little more.

All this makes Shouto uneasy, but he doesn't say anything until after she's done. "I see. So you want to meet with him after you resign."

She nods.

"And you're asking me if I'm okay with it."

Again, she nods. "I know that it's weird to ask, since I won't answer to you anymore once I resign, but… I need to know anyway, you know?" She bites her lower lip and looks down on where their hands are still linked. "All I want is to know what happened, and nothing else. I don't want you to misunderstand anything. I don't want to do anything that will upset you."

Shouto feels her hand tremble nervously in his grasp, as if expecting him to actually be upset. To be angry, to become that person who treated her violently in the lobby before. A wave of regret passes through him as he feels her uneasiness.

It's alright now, though. He's trying to change. And honestly, even though he's deathly afraid of what they will find out, of all the things that he's kept hidden until now, he knows it's not his place to stop her.

So he releases a breath, steps just a little closer to her, to look right into her eyes. "I don't know if I won't be upset," he tells her honestly, "but I won't stop you."

She blinks in confusion. "Why not?"

Because even though he's torn about confessing everything to her right here, right now, he knows that he can't. That he shouldn't. Even then, he shouldn't stop her from doing what she needs to do, either. He'll think about what he'll do once she finds out everything, including the possibility of losing her forever.

It's hard to think of those things, even as he holds her now, with the moon high up in the sky and on the surface of the rippling water, distorting their reflections in a pretty way.

"I know how important this is to you," he finally says, forcing himself to shelve his negative thoughts. "I'll just have to accept things, including what you might find out about my brother."

Her hand stops shaking in her grasp. "Thank you, Director. I really appreciate this," she says quietly.

She stands up from the fountain's edge, letting go of his hand momentarily to peer inside. "Oh. Everyone has left already," she says, stepping in the undeniably empty ballroom. "That was quick. Director, we should leave soon, too-"

She's cut off when he reaches out for her hand again and pulls her in for an embrace from behind.

He feels her freeze in his arms as he does.

He doesn't mean it, really. Maybe it's the moon playing tricks on his mind, or the ideas Yaoyorozu injected in his mind about living a different life, having what he wanted to have for once. Maybe it's the realization that he wasted the nine years he spent with her treating Uraraka in a way she didn't deserve to be treated. Maybe it's hearing that Touya's memories are coming back to him. Maybe it's the fear of losing her again, and the folly of the brave face he's putting on despite the weight of his mistakes over his shoulders.

But just this once… just this once, let him hold Uraraka Ochako close to him. Let him believe that despite the things that are going to happen, despite all the time he wasted, he can hold her close like this. And if she pushes him away-

-she does, but just enough so she can turn in her place to look at him in the eye. Brown eyes shine in worry.

Of course she's worried that he's out of his mind. Even if they're alone now, they're still superior and subordinate at this moment. He should really keep his hands to himself. "Sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

To his surprise, she disagrees. She steps up and impulsively puts her arms around him, burying her face into his chest.

She looks up at him after a beat, cheeks flushed but eyes determined. "You're right. You shouldn't have done that," she murmurs quietly, "... but just a little bit should be okay."

He can't stop the smile on his mouth as he returns the gesture, letting the warmth seep in further. "Okay. Just a little bit, then."

Later, when they waste enough time bordering on suspicious, they let each other go, walk at a professional distance from each other, and come down where Shouji and the rest of the team are waiting for them. They bid each other goodnight, with Uraraka opting to take the commute home with some of her workmates while he hops in his car for the drive home.

It's a difficult time for his mind to come to terms with everything, but at least he feels warm on the way home.

* * *

_AN:I debated a lot about what to show in this chapter since I'm bracing myself for possible comments re: dabi and ochako (_), and also the scenes don't feel as impactful as I had envisioned, but I figured I'd go ahead with these scenes anyway because I think it's important in a different way. Specially Shouto and Momo's relationship, and how they want the best for each other despite their tough childhoods;;; ^^'' _

_Anyway, Todochako hugged! On purpose this time, so yay! This is burning faster than I thought... Ahhh, but I miss Bakugou;;; do you miss him too? Is Dabi gonna get in the way too?Should he? If LoV were a band how do you think they'll sound like? aggh I'm so confused about what I want to do right now so. Let's see what happens next T_T_


	17. There's Nothing I Can Do, But

**and you say, stay  
Chapter 17: There's nothing I can do, but...**

* * *

The place is beautiful upon first glance: white and wide, with big windows, tasteful architecture, a giant manicured garden that features installments by famous local artists. From her vantage point far from the stage, she can count about 10 billionaires watching the stage jealously as Todoroki Enji, Todoroki Shouto, Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, Shishida Jurota, and Yoarashi Inasa line up to cut the ceremonial ribbons in front. Polite applause and photographic flashes flood afterwards.

All of it makes her sick.

She isn't a noisy person, but the offended grunt she makes catches the attention of the person next to her.

"You okay, Yui?"

"Mm."

Reiko tilts her head, glancing at her and then at the far distance where she's staring: Todoroki Shouto exiting the stage to meet with Ochako, who immediately adjusts his tie for him while directing him to the next location. "Right. You hate that guy with a passion. Of course you're not okay."

Yui blinks passively. She doesn't deny it, even though she's far from passionate.

Reiko sighs. "I get it. We're here to support Ochako because this is her last big project before she leaves Endeavor for good. I need to be here personally for Yaomomo too. But-"

"Am okay," Yui cuts off, arms crossed.

"Really." Full lips pout, unconvinced. "Because you look like you're about to yeet a table or something on stage."

If she could, she wouldn't think twice about it. They're all there: Todoroki Enji, Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, Todoroki Shouto. It would be so simple to make things right, right at this moment. It may be inelegant of her to think so, but she doesn't care.

Fact is though, she's just an engineer with no super powers. She doesn't even have regular powers, at least not enough to protect Ochako when she needed protecting.

"Not yeeting," she mumbles.

Reiko sighs. "You'd better not. At least, not until the LoV concert. Hold out a little more, please?"

This is a big event not only for Ochako, but for Reiko too. Ever since Ochako went to them excitedly brandishing backstage passes, this is all that her closest friend could talk about. She was so excited for it that she went through dinner without trash-talking Todoroki Shouto for once-a miracle and a travesty in all aspects.

It's hard not to appear dispassionate as the day goes on. Apart from being in Todoroki's territory, most of her day was spent waiting outside closed doors and along half-filled galleries while Reiko dressed Yaoyorozu Momo and fixed her garments multiple times during the day. She can manage as much-standing quietly in a corner is her specialty-but to interact with nameless people who seem to think that she should work as a model, if she wasn't already, well... it was _not _fun.

It's not new-she has been stopped on the street countless times before by scouts, all of them she refuses with a wordless glare. She hates going through it again for what is supposed to be an exclusive event, but she endures it. Reiko will only work for a little longer, and then they can go home to prepare for the LoV concert tomorrow. She can will herself to the shadows until it's over.

She can't even do that in peace. At the next nameless person giving her a card for their agency, someone decides to interfere.

"I'd stop that if I were you, buddy. She's obviously not interested."

The person looks over her shoulder to the person speaking. "Ah-Spiral. Is… is she one of yours?"

It's impressive how much the nameless guy pales as a dark-haired figure steps into her view. "Looks like the security in this place is that lame, huh? Why the hell did Todoroki allow trash like you here?"

Doesn't take much to know who this person was: Kaibara Sen, alias Spiral, a bigshot photographer known internationally. Ochako spoke about him a few times. He's one of Todoroki's favorite photographers and hosted a few stuck-up events like this one himself. Yui thought about thanking him before, if only because it was at his fundraiser where Ochako finally gained the courage to resign from her job.

As the nameless person scampers away, he stares at her boredly and effectively kills any trace of shallow gratitude she might have for him. "You should speak up next time," Kaibara drawls. "These guys will stop bothering you if you tell them no."

Does this guy know that things do not work that way for lesser people like her? She does _not _feel like explaining.

"Yui-chan! Kaibara-san!"

Ochako comes into view. By the distressed look on her face, she must have seen everything that had happened. She's a little out of breath when she makes it there and half-bows to Kaibara.

"I'm sorry for the trouble," Ochako gasps. "Yui is with me, so-"

Why should Ochako be the one bowing and apologizing for her? Frustration bubbles up inside Yui as she passively hears Kaibara say, "Nah, I'm the one causing her trouble. Don't worry about it."

"But-"

She hates it-hates how _small _Ochako is in this corporation, how it falls on her to sweep the background so that things remain clean and white and shiny for these rich boys. She could speak, maybe, lessen the load for her, as hard as it is.

_I was just waiting for Reiko. I can leave. No trouble at all. _

"Secretary Uraraka, what's going on?"

Yui snaps her mouth shut.

Strutting in like he owns the place, Todoroki Shouto enters the scene-all pretty and polished, no doubt from her cousin's efforts. There are two other men behind him, a Chinese man with a braid down his back and someone with big saucer-eyes. Yui can only pay them so much attention with the sudden deafening spike of anger between her ears.

"I said it's nothing," Kaibara insists, scratching the back of his head in annoyance. "Just some jerks with no boundaries. Todoroki, seriously, how did trash like that get here?"

"Noted," Todoroki says, staring at Yui. She fights to keep her face impassive. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

_He doesn't remember me. _

That adds a different sound in Yui's head. It's harder now to keep her face still as Ochako introduces her with a big smile. "This is my cousin, Kodai Yui. She's a materials engineer working for Hakamata Tsunagu-san."

The Chinese businessman makes an impressive noise. "I see, with Best Jeanist. That's a very respectable company."

"Really?! An engineer! I thought you were a celebrity too!" The other guy with wide eyes shamelessly looks at her up and down. "Not gonna lie, we ran here 'cause you and Sen were sparkling like _crazy! _I thought Yaomomo had a haircut when I saw her from afar! That's awesome!"

Yui thought she was polite enough _not _saying anything to offend these rich guys, but when she turns her head to return his gaze, the executive suddenly steps back with a little scared whimper.

"I'm Todoroki Shouto, your cousin's employer," Todoroki says, not letting the awkward air linger a moment longer. "This is Vice-Chairman Rin Hiryuu from Dragon Shroud corp, and his Japanese associate Tsuburaba Kosei. You and Kaibara Sen have met already."

"Mm."

"Vice-Chairman Rin flew in from Beijing just to support the art gallery opening," Ochako says. "We can't thank you enough for coming all this way..."

The practiced, empty words designed to stroke these rich men's egos pass through one ear and out another. Did they even know about Ochako, and how much she and Yui and her parents struggled because of people like them? She knows she's being unfair-maybe these guys are as kind as they appear and wouldn't think of her and her cousin any different if they knew how poor they are, but…

But, she knows that Todoroki Shouto has no such excuse. He… he knew Ochako from the _very beginning _-her upbringing, her fear of fire, everything. Still, he worked Ochako to the bone for so long, never caring about her circumstances until she's ready to leave him. Now he's tricking her into staying by his side, and Yui can feel that his deceit is working.

Ochako isn't saying anything, but Yui sees it. Beyond the necklace, the lack of complaints about Todoroki or Victoria-chan, and the steadily infrequent conversations, Ochako is _changing. _She sees it in the way she smiles and laughs and bites her lower lip when she uses the phone, in the lilt of her voice, in how she talks less and less about quitting and finding herself after all this is over.

It's obvious now. It's clear, because her eyes shine differently when she looks up at the Director. She's losing Ochako to him, and she doesn't know if she can do anything about it. As someone who sincerely cares for Ochako, isn't it her duty to hate this guy's guts for as long as she lives?

(Even though Yui is the one who failed her, all those years ago-)

She doesn't know how long she fights with her thoughts while ignoring the cautious looks from the men around her, but eventually she hears someone say _we should get going. _Music to her ears, really. Rin and Tsuburaba say their goodbyes, while Kaibara spares her a skeptical glance before leaving wordlessly. She almost lets out an audible sigh of relief.

But her exit can only be so peaceful. Of all the people in this group to have the gall to interact with her again-

"It was good to meet you," Todoroki tells her, a practiced smile on his face. And then, a little lower, he says, "Your cousin is an excellent secretary. You should be proud of her."

She looks up at him, stone-faced. "Mhm."

He probably doesn't pick up on the subtle tremor in her voice, but Ochako does. Brows furrowed in worry, she asks Yui, "Hey, are you okay?"

"... hm," she replies. Her hands twist in front of her, too pressured to be reassuring. She feels… she feels _sick, _but…

"Secretary Uraraka, bring her to the infirmary and accompany her for as long as you need. Utsushimi can assist me here for the meantime."

"Got it," Ochako says, taking out her phone to dial Reiko. "Yui-chan, you'll be okay. Let's go-"

"-home."

She can't stay here a moment longer.

"'M okay. Need to go home." Yui takes a deep breath, tries her best at a sincere look of remorse. "Sorry."

Ochako's mouth quivers worriedly. "Can I at least get you a ride home?"

Todoroki nods behind her, and she feels even sicker for it. "No. Uber."

Somehow, she's able to ignore the guilty feelings and peels herself away from her cousin. She walks past all the garish displays, the garish people, the garish entryways and streets. The noise of the city fills her head, abating the red in her vision.

She is being terrible to her, she knows. But at least, from this safe distance, she can drown in her own guilty memories in peace.

* * *

Ochako is left staring dumbfounded at the empty spot where Yui stood.

Reiko, entering the scene a few minutes too late, sighs in exasperation. "She's pretty messed up even during the opening ceremonies. I dunno what's going on with her, but you know how she is-she's not gonna tell us anything even when we ask. She'll be okay once we give her space."

Maybe that's true for other people, but Yui trusted the two of them enough to let them know what she's thinking even while using the bare minimum of words or noises. Ochako can tell that there's something turbulent bubbling underneath her careful, neutral expression.

"Well… you also know how she feels about this company. And…"

Reiko's eyes dart toward the direction of Director Todoroki, who wraps up a conversation in fluent Mandarin with Rin some ways behind them.

Right. Yui _hated _the Director more than anyone. She was the one most excited about her resignation and one of the biggest reasons why Ochako hasn't told her anything about the, er, recent developments in her life.

It's a big problem, but a problem for a different day. With some difficulty, Ochako decides to leave it to Reiko for now. "Can you please let me know if she tells you anything?"

"Yeah, I'll handle it," she says coolly, eyebrows raising as her gaze darts from one end of the room to another behind Ochako's head. "I think you have other things brewing on the horizon for you here."

There's a little smirk on Reiko's mouth that's meant to tease, but all Ochako can feel is a sense of foreboding. When she turns her head and sees what's about to go down, well, her instincts are spot on.

Director Todoroki's a few steps away. He's shaking Rin's hand, probably coming to an informal agreement between their companies. He briefly meets Ochako's gaze, something bright glinting in his heterochromatic eyes as they do…

… until they follow Ochako's eyes to the other side of the room, and darken significantly.

It's someone she hasn't seen in a while-spiky blonde hair in all directions, glaring red eyes, a dark suit without a tie. Even with the effortless style, his outfit suits him so well that everybody stops and stares. With some relief, Ochako sees that he definitely looks better than when she last saw him, tremulous and smelling of cigarette smoke, seemingly on the verge of paranoia.

He's got his hands in his pockets, glaring at everything in the room like they've personally offended him. But then he catches Ochako's eye, and suddenly his expression does a 180, and-

"I'll leave you to it," Reiko says, snapping Ochako out of her trance with a teasing nudge. "If your boss isn't too clingy, maybe you can spend some quality time with the guy, huh? And if you're lucky, he can give you a ride home, get some wine and sexy music going, and-"

Ochako nudges her back desperately as he makes his way to her. "Reiko, I'll pinch you in the armpits if you keep talking!"

"Sheesh, someone's cranky..." With a raise of her eyebrows and a sarcastic salute, Reiko makes her exit.

Bakugou Katsuki finally comes to a stop in front of her, looking Ochako up and down in the same way he did when they first met. "Damn, Angelface. You look too damn nice and round for this pretentious party, the fuck."

"Thanks… I think," Ochako replies, wondering why that devilish smirk on his mouth worked so well with his suit. "You look great too, Bakugou-kun. Like you're not about to destroy someone's career for once."

"You don't know that," he says, tone too natural for him to be teasing. Ochako makes a face at him, and he chuckles harshly. "You know it's what I do, Cheeks. But don't worry, I'm not gonna make it too hard on your shitty boss tonight."

"And who, pray tell, is this 'shitty boss' you speak of?"

Of course this was going to happen. Ochako tries not to look pained as a certain smooth, controlled baritone interrupts their conversation.

While she expected Bakugou to react violently, he's frighteningly cool when he glances at Todoroki Shouto, now standing in the space between them. He looks at the guy up and down with a challenging quirk of an eyebrow.

"Who else but you, half-and-half?" Bakugou answers, baring a sharp canine. "Then again, not for long. You excited to finally relinquish ownership of Roundface? Or maybe you or your old man are scheming to keep her here?"

Ochako gives him a withering look that he ignores. "Bakugou-kun-"

"The status of her employment is none of your business," the Director quips, voice chilly. "As for the way you address me or the Chairman, I advise that-"

They get a number of looks from all over the room as the tension between the two rises. Ochako's brain automatically goes to crisis mode, going through all the strategies she knew about getting the Director out of a potentially embarrassing public situation (which was more than she cared to admit).

Judging by the momentum in the Director's voice, the best course of action here is to physically drag him to the other side of the room and to tell him off severely for being so easily goaded into another fight. But before she can reach out for his sleeve, Todoroki glances at her and stops in his tracks.

_Director... _

One pleading look is apparently all it takes for the ice in his gaze to clear up. He pauses, takes a short, calming breath unnoticeable by most. "... you may address me by anything you like, Bakugou-san, as you _are _an esteemed guest. Although Todoroki is preferable to 'Uraraka's Shitty Boss,' if only because there are less syllables involved."

He delivers this so placidly that Ochako is momentarily stunned. Bakugou also looks thrown off for just a second, but he recovers faster than her. "Fucking Icyhot, pretending not to be the bastard who was ready to kill me in the street just because you're in some fancy suit at a fancy ball. You're exactly the type of two-faced corporate hotshot I hate."

"Two-faced," Todoroki repeats, tone flat. "Two-toned I hear often, but not two-faced. I have been told I don't have many facial expressions."

"Hah! Man's got jokes, huh?" Bakugou laughs, a harsh and sarcastic sound. "You wanna know something else you don't have, bastard? A fuckin' clue, that's what. If you don't want me to beat your ass to the ground, you're gonna do the smart thing and stay outta my way."

Ochako directs her pleading gaze to Bakugou, but again he ignores this, and to her disdain she knows exactly why. She doesn't exactly know his game plan, but this is his way of continuing his investigation of the Todorokis.

Not that she didn't expect this from the start. Still, she kind of wanted to slap Bakugou both for having poor timing and for being so mean to the Director. There has to be a better way than baiting him into a fight during one of the most prestigious events of the year!

"Oh my. What's this, Shouto?"

Out of nowhere, Yaoyorozu Momo appears in between the Director and Bakugou-one of two persons apart from Chief Midoriya who can, and will make this situation worse.

Now this is a problem precisely for three very urgent reasons. One is that Yaomomo isn't supposed to appear in this event under strict orders of the Yaoyorozu Group. All aplomb associated with her appearance should be reserved strictly for the Yaoyorozu Gallery opening and nothing else. Second, it isn't good for any of them to see her in the middle of this impending argument-to put it optimistically, Yaomomo might get involved in a scandal that she has no business being implicated in, while Bakugou might end up, er, _silenced _by the powers above.

Thirdly-

_"Hey, is that… Yaomomo? With Director Todoroki and Bakushinchi?!" _

_"No way, when did they get back together?! And since when were they friends with Ground Zero?!" _

Anywhere Yaomomo makes an appearance, cameras are sure to follow, and with that absurd stories that aren't always true. They would have kept this under control in the Yaoyorozu Gallery opening later in the evening, but in the less private Shishida event the situation is less reassuring.

"Yaoyorozu. I didn't know you were here. I thought you were with Uncle, and the Chairman," Todoroki says. The careful tone he uses makes it clear that even he is surprised by her appearance.

"It's fine, they were talking about corporate arrangements and what-not, things that a woman like me has no business knowing. It's not a problem for me, although I got _so terribly bored _of listening to so much technical drivel that I thought I might as well look at the lovely art, meet the artists, etcetera-that's the essence of art gallery openings, is it not?"

Now this is also strange. During the short-lived relationship between the Director and Yaomomo, she's never spoken like, well… not as _erudite, _and more contrived _. _Ochako and Todoroki share a weird look between them for exactly a beat.

She smiles so innocently in between, though, that she's got everybody else fooled. As more cameras flash to capture that queenly visage of hers, she adjusts the furs on her shoulders and tilts her head at Bakugou. "Pardon my manners, but aren't you Bakugou Katsuki, the journalist? I didn't know you and Shouto were acquainted."

She lies so smoothly that Ochako almost forgets that they've met before. Nevertheless, Ochako prays to all the gods she knew that Bakugou lies just as smoothly and minds his manners for once. In this sort of situation, a lot of Yaoyorozu Group staff members hide in plain sight, on standby until they need to maim anyone who so much as raises their voices at her.

Still, Bakugou Katsuki was not like most people. His temper wouldn't allow him to care about those kinds of threats. The way his eyes suddenly look deranged makes Ochako brace herself for the worst-she'd tackle this guy before a single insulting syllable made it out of his mouth, if it's the last thing she did-

Fortunately she didn't need to do any of that. To her surprise (and even the Director's, if the slight widening of his eyes is any indication), Bakugou mutters, "Sure we are."

"Really? You two are friends?" Yaomomo flutters her eyelashes in interest, obviously relishing the way Bakugou's jaw clenches in annoyance.

"We get along," Todoroki deadpans unconvincingly. Bakugou obviously suppresses a gag, looking so silly that Ochako has to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud.

"Isn't that nice! Any friend of Shouto's is a friend of mine." Magnanimously, she offers her hand to Bakugou, paying no mind to his scowl or the way he looks at her extended hand as if it were a stick of dynamite.

"Yeah. Whatever," he finally grumbles, shaking her hand.

"Lovely!" She claps her hands, bouncing so innocently that spots appear in Ochako's vision from how bright she is. "So, now that we're friends, I can invite you to the Yaoyorozu Gallery opening later!"

"Huh?!" Ochako sputters, just as Todoroki utters a stern, "Yaoyorozu, you can't just-" and Bakugou mumbles a soft, "The fuck?"

"Oh, I can," she tells the Director, the stern tone in her voice vastly incompatible with her bright facade. "Secretary Takami said explicitly that 'Ms. Yaoyorozu may do as she likes.' Do you not remember?"

"I don't think he meant-"

"-It would be good to have more people there that you get along with, Shouto. It'd be more interesting that way, no?" She makes a thoughtful noise and then looks at Ochako. "It should be alright as long as Bakugou-san is accompanied by Secretary Uraraka. No-one from Endeavor will ask too many questions as long as they're with her, right?"

Ochako makes a silly, surprised noise. "M-me? With Bakugou-kun? But I…"

She looks up at the Director in confusion, who returns it with obvious discomfort. She had expected him to protest, but Yaomomo has a sharpness to her gaze that tells them she won't take no for an answer.

Todoroki thinks about it for another suspicious moment before releasing a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. Secretary Uraraka, do as Yaoyorozu requests."

Ochako affirms weakly, trying not to look apprehensive as Yaomomo makes a sound of glee. "Perfect! I'll have a chance to get to know you better in an hour, Bakugou-san. For the meantime, may I steal the Director from you for a bit, Uraraka-san? Won't be long, I just want to meet Fukidashi-_ sensei! _He's the author of one of my favorite mangas, you know!"

It's not like any of them can do anything. Without giving any of them a chance to breathe, Yaomomo drags the Director in the direction of Fukidashi Manga's display, leaving Ochako with Bakugou, who utters another flustered curse under his breath.

"What... just happened," Ochako stammers.

"... that damn ponytail," Bakugou mutters, but the palm he places over his face doesn't hide the amused grin on his mouth.

As he continues to chuckle, Ochako looks over to him suspiciously. "Hey… am I missing something? Why would Yaomomo do any of that for you? And why the fake introductions?"

"Fuck if I know," he quips, before nudging her with his arm. "Looks like you gotta be my date for tonight, Angelface. As per the orders of your shitty boss."

Ochako makes another face at him. "He didn't say date, you know."

He sticks out his tongue. "Ya gotta stick with me all the same."

Well… Director Todoroki did tell her to do as Yaoyorozu says, so she has to stay at Bakugou's side at all times. She doesn't know why, but somehow she thinks that it's to keep Bakugou out of trouble-which is likely, judging by the way he was trying to stir things with Director Todoroki…

Wait. Was that why she intervened in the first place?

_Man, this is too weird, _Ochako mutters to herself. She'll figure things out eventually, hopefully before any trouble starts.

"Poor you. In a room full of schmucks with dirty corporate money, you're stuck with the fucker who's out to drag them all to the ground." Another devilish smirk on that mouth of his, charming enough that Ochako would feel a little funny if she saw it on a different day.

She scoffs, following his casual gait around the gallery right by his side. "I don't care about dirty corporate money or your conspiracies, you know. What I care about is keeping you from starting another fist fight with one of these 'rich schmucks' you so love."

"Tch. I don't start fights, I only finish 'em. The fuck is that look for? I got the records to prove it-"

Ochako giggles, gives a mocking comment that Bakugou retorts with a light-hearted insult of his own. This goes on back and forth as they walk idly along the rooms, staring at the paintings of mantises and butterflies, striking photographs of ordinary people in the city, vintage frames from classic manga that shaped pop culture.

"I get it. This type of event isn't your cup of tea, but _look. _" Ochako gestures to one of her favorite pieces by Jack Mantis: a massive oil-on-canvas piece depicting a katana surrounded by monarch butterflies. "This is _beautiful, _right? Don't you think all the trouble of getting this piece to this place is worth it?"

Bakugou scoffs, making a show of being unimpressed. "No way. There are prettier things than this pretentious shit."

"_ Really. _" She puffs her cheeks in annoyance. "You suck at art, Bakugou Katsuki!"

He laughs, pinches her cheeks just as her guard went down. "But… I get it. Some pretty things are worth the trouble."

She catches the sudden dip in his voice just as he looks away. She wonders if his words are meant for her, as soft as they fell in the space between them.

She isn't thinking about anything serious, really, but the funny thing about thoughts is that they stray in wild directions for no reason at all. Right now a particular thought enters her mind before she can do anything to stop it:

_I'm being unfair, aren't I? _

She doesn't know why she thinks it when Bakugou says something ridiculous for the third time that evening, and she marvels at how easy it is to talk to him without worrying about how stupid she might sound laughing at him. She thinks it again, when he nudges her gently with his shoulder to show her something that strikes him in a certain picture, and again when he leans in to whisper something about a terrible thing that some rich guy in the same room purportedly did, and again when he leans his head back laughing at something she said.

She's unfair because being with him is fun and easy and light, something she might have wanted if things remained the way they did for the past nine years she worked at Endeavor.

She's unfair because Bakugou told her that he's going to wait for her, whatever that means, and she didn't say anything to stop him.

She's unfair because even though she's enjoying herself, she knows that she might be wasting his time…

_… because he isn't Todoroki Shouto. _

She shakes her head at the thought, because who said anything about romance tonight anyway? This is just her doing her job, and this is just Bakugou-kun chasing a story, and this is just them killing time in between. There's no need to take the thing that's happening between them seriously, whatever it is. She doesn't have to make a decision right now-

"Oi, you're making that weird face again."

"What face?"

A sharp jab to her cheek makes her snap out of a trance with a yelp.

"That," Bakugou points out, sneering at her when she tries to bat his hand away in vain. "The fuck is that miserable look for? Am I boring you that much, Angelface?"

A few _squish-squish-squishes _later, Bakugou finally lets up on the prodding with a chortle. Ochako gives him the most offended glare she can, hard as it is with how much he's enjoying himself.

"Geez," she mumbles, rubbing her cheek irately. "I wasn't bored. I was enjoying myself right before you started mutilating my cheeks…"

"Then fucking look it," he says, although he's only a little mean about it. "Unless there's something you wanna tell me?"

Another tug in her conscience. She chews on her bottom lip, hoping that she doesn't look guilty when she looks up at him. "Bakugou-kun…"

What does she say? Thanks for all the good times and the efforts digging up the horrors of my past, but I can't return your feelings because I've got it bad for my boss whom you hate and is also probably involved in the thing that made my past traumatic? It's a ridiculous mouthful that she doesn't feel ready to say, but it feels more necessary the more the time passes between them.

Bakugou interrupts her thoughts with a click of the tongue. "Hey. It's fine."

Ochako blinks. "Um. What's fine?"

The uncharacteristic sound of his voice-low, contemplative, lacking of the usual strong emotion underneath it-throws her off. So does the way he trains his eyes on her, suddenly quiet and despondent.

He scratches the back of his head roughly. "Let's leave that shit for later. If I'm lucky and Ponytail's old man doesn't throw me into Tokyo Bay by the end of the night, we can talk. That okay, Cheeks?"

Ochako stares up at him, stunned into silence. "Okay."

He smirks, although she sees that not all of it reaches his eyes. Before she can say another word, the lights dim. At the far end of the gallery, there's applause and the gritty sound of Shishida Jurota thanking everyone for coming.

"Guess that's our cue." He's looking away from her now, reds glinting in the dim light. Another nudge, one where he offers his arm to her. "Time for you to sneak me into the upper crust of society, Secretary Uraraka."

She loops his arm around hers and does her best effort at a bright smile. "Sure, _Bakushinchi. _Remember, no fist-fights!"

Bakugou laughs harshly, and wordlessly lets her lead the way into the ostentatious gallery next door.

* * *

To say that Shouto was on edge is a severe understatement.

To think things were going smoothly. The events started on time, all the art pieces and people were in the correct place, the food was perfect, the drinks good. There was not a word of complaint from any of the artists or guests. If there were, his capable staff managed them well enough that any anomalies remained largely unnoticed.

He saw them going around and doing their jobs satisfactorily. Monoma, especially, seems to have established rapport with Shishida and the invited artists (they seem to have taken a liking to the way he laughs-_ psychotic but not without its charm, _as Kaibara had described it). Shouto had secured a good number of possible collaborations just by going around and striking light conversation.

Things were going well, but of course in big events like this, eventually they won't. It probably started with their encounter with Uraraka's cousin. Her presence wasn't unexpected; Uraraka asked him in advance if she could attend the event. He accepted because she asked, and also he was curious about Uraraka's family. Maybe even hoped that he could make a good impression, as silly as it sounded.

Being impressive is his forte, objectively speaking, but it's apparent that he had fallen short with Kodai Yui. For some reason the woman disliked him from the very beginning, even before Shouto introduced himself, and nothing he did seemed to improve the situation.

As if that wasn't enough, Bakugou Katsuki happened. This one wasn't a surprise, since he really was part of the guest list for the Shishida event. The crass book he wrote somehow made him impressive enough to be invited. That said, he came in expecting the worst from this person, and had enough presence of mind to manage it well.

And he was... until Yaoyorozu happened.

"You're upset," she tells him calmly, as they take their designated seats near the stage.

Upset isn't the appropriate word. Perturbed, maybe. Inconvenienced. Mildly disoriented.

"You're upset," she repeats, the tone of her voice unapologetic. "Of course you are. Things didn't go as you planned, and people didn't act as predicted."

"_You _didn't act as predicted."

She hums. "I acted as necessary. You and your acquaintance seemed to be on the verge of something that could get out of control, had I not intervened."

"I had it handled." Then again, Shouto had only managed to keep civil because Secretary Uraraka was there. For her sake alone, he did not want a repeat of his unfortunate first meeting with Bakugou Katsuki.

"Really." A small, unconvinced raise of the eyebrows. "So had I not said anything, you and Bakugou-san would have kissed and made up, went around the gallery debating about the humanities, shared a bottle of whisky in your penthouse after all this is over?"

She smirks at the way he falters. Why did she have to inject those images in his head?

That's not the point, though. It's obvious that her interests went beyond averting a crisis. "You seemed eager to invite him here."

Yaoyorozu blinks innocently. "Eager? I was merely being courteous."

He narrows his eyes. "I hardly think that allowing an infamous anti-corporate investigative journalist access to a gathering with some of the top 1% of the country in wealth and prestige is merely a _courtesy, _Yaoyorozu."

"You exaggerate, Shouto, considering that you are a member of that group yourself. Why, it sounds suspiciously like you don't trust this friend of yours to behave."

"And it sounds suspiciously like you're disproportionately _interested _in him, for a reason I can't fathom." Shouto crosses his arms. "What are you up to?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says, a careful neutral expression on her face that confirms all his suspicions. For an actress, she isn't even trying to pretend it was otherwise. "Oh look, Father and Uncle Enji are here. Unfortunately, we have to stop talking about this now."

On cue, the old man appears from behind them, a sharp-eyed Takami Keigo hot on his heels. Next to them is a man with dark hair, dark eyes, a dignified air about him and a smile that crinkles his eyes and makes him appear kind.

"Hello, Father." Yaoyorozu Momo embraces the man amidst a flurry of camera flashes around them.

"There you are, darling," Yaoyorozu Yoshinori says, returning the embrace. "Where were you? I was quite worried earlier when you just up and disappeared from my sight so expertly."

It's difficult to pick up for anyone not used to the executive, but Shouto notices the tension behind his words. 'A little worried' is probably an understatement in this case.

Yaoyorozu Momo must have picked up on it too. There's a half-second of actual fear in her eyes, before she laughs it off. "Sorry for worrying you! It's just that I couldn't bear another second waiting for Shouto to arrive. I took it upon myself to find him."

Another subtlety that Shouto picks up-the younger Yaoyorozu isn't completely honest here, despite the innocent flush to her cheeks.

Still, it's obvious that she said the right things. There's an instant look of approval over Yaoyorozu Yoshinori's face accompanying a surprised _oho! _"This is good news! Seems that there's hope for our wayward children, right Enji?"

"So it seems," Enji concurs, but the suspicious look he casts Shouto's way makes it clear he isn't convinced.

He returns the glare, mouth unmoving.

As if picking up on the tension between them, Yaoyorozu clears her throat to interrupt. "Father, Uncle Enji, isn't it about time we start? I'm quite excited doing the introductions for the two of you, and for Shouto as well!"

"Hmph. Fine," Enji says, finally looking away from Shouto. "Go ahead, Momo."

She smiles, sending a cautionary glance towards Shouto's way. _Don't do anything stupid, _she might as well have said out loud before she graciously makes her way onto the stage to begin the introductions. It doesn't take long, and a few meaningless words and bows and photographs later, the gallery is officially opened.

In the flurry of flashes that follow, Shouto glances over his shoulder to look at the persons in attendance. They only invited a handful of people here, most of them the senior executives and heads of corporations that Endeavor had collaborations with, carefully handpicked by Enji himself.

The guest list is so exclusive that the ones who _aren't _elderly scions in the audience can be counted in two hands-Yoarashi being one of them, grinning at Shouto from afar while Secretary Utsushimi entertained him with her phone. Honenuki Juzo, the award-winning director of _The Goddess of Creation _is another, and it's obvious that he is not pleased with their company's refusal to invite the rest of his crew to this event. He's speaking with Shishida Jurota, who is producing their next film. The Hollywood actress Tsunotori Pony is also there, obviously trying not to appear uncomfortable as some of the executives stick to her too closely for photo-ops.

Finally, Aoyama Yuuga, a fashion giant from Paris and an all-around eccentric person, makes himself known to Shouto.

"_ Bonsoir, _Todoroki-kun!"

Shouto regards him flatly. Then, in French, _"You made it. Thank you for joining us in our event." _

"_But of course, tis not a thing. Bonsoir, mademoiselle!_" Aoyama leans in to give airkisses to Yaoyorozu, who returns them gracefully. "_You are as lovely as the gown you are wearing! I am intrigued as to who the designer is, what a unique piece it is!_"

"_ You are kind as always, Aoyama-san, _" Yaoyorozu replies, also in fluent French. _"To answer your question, my stylist Yanagi Reiko designed it for me." _

_"Amazing detail! You must introduce me to her. I am always looking for new talent, yes?" _And then he turns to Shouto again, with the usual conspiratorial sparkle in his eyes. " _And you, monsieur? Who is responsible for styling you this evening?" _

Why does he always ask, if he already knows the answer? Shouto huffs. _"Secretary Uraraka did, as always. _"

"_ Ah~ the little secretary. Where is she? I must meet her again! You have instructed her to wear the gown I gifted for this evening, yes? _"

Aoyama has met Uraraka a number of times before in meetings and social functions like this one. Shouto isn't sure why the designer had this idea that he and Uraraka had something he called '_ les tension sexuelles' _between them from the start, and why he's invested in seeing it blossom ' _comme une fleur', _but it seems that he isn't letting up on the idea yet.

As to his insistence-bordering-on-obsession to dress her in the way he likes, well, he gets it. Uraraka is objectively attractive no matter what she wears, but the frequency with which she repeats her outfits is… concerning. Even more so to a finicky fashion expert like Aoyama.

"Never mind, I have spotted her! But what's this?" Another smattering of sparkles assault Shouto's eyes as Aoyama gazes upon him, aghast. "She seems to be accompanying another gentleman tonight? Todoroki-kun, explain yourself!"

Why is he demanding an explanation like he's personally offended by this arrangement? As if Shouto wasn't the _most _offended by this. Why wouldn't he be, with the number of times Bakugou has leaned in unnecessarily close to Uraraka's ear?

Just as he's about to retort, Yaoyorozu beats him to it. "That's my fault, Aoyama-san. The gentleman is present upon my insistence alone."

"Oh. Bakugou Katsuki, eh?" Aoyama suddenly looks disproportionately excited about that. "I never imagined your tastes going that way, Yaomomo, but I suppose not even you are immune to the bad boy charm?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Yaoyorozu replies, unfazed.

Aoyama looks ready to comment again, until a commotion happens at the other end of the hall. "They're here! The League is here!"

Shouto winces as the group of rowdy voices break through the formal air of the gathering, shattering it into pieces. Even appropriately attired, the League of Villains stood out against the clean and crisp backdrop of the gallery with their lazy postures and twisted faces, their blatant disregard of the prestige of the majority of the crowd there.

It wasn't entirely bad. Shouto enjoys the instant look of distaste on Enji's face and the knowledge that he can do nothing about this. But besides that there's apprehension in the old man's eyes, something he instantly hides from Yaoyorozu Yoshinori.

"Oh my, they look _magnificent, _" Aoyama says, clapping his hands in excitement. "Oh my, this is the first time I've seen them without their masks… be still my heart! Shigaraki, _c'est magnifique… _and who-"

The room suddenly falls so silent that the simultaneous intakes of breath cut through his hearing like a knife. Without anyone saying a word, it's painfully obvious who they're staring at.

"Is that… Dabi?" Yaoyorozu asks beside him.

Shouto only manages to stop the strangled noise in his throat. She's right, the person that the rest of the room is staring at is none other than Dabi. The pale skin, the striking blue eyes, and the characteristic piercings over his ears and his nose say as much. But his hair-

"His _hair, _" Aoyama murmurs, voice as conflicted as everyone else's gaze in the room. "I did not think that silver would look, er… so _distinct _on him. I hardly recognize him."

In simple terms: he looks less like Dabi of the League of Villains, and more like Todoroki Touya.

"No, I must be imagining it." Yaoyorozu shakes her head, and Shouto only notices the slight pallor in her cheeks. "It's been years, and this is the last place he'd be… right?"

She looks just as uneasy as Enji. Shouto unfortunately can't give her the reassurance she's looking for.

Instead, he forces himself to do what is expected of him and quietly makes his way in front of the group, taking a deep breath as he does so. "Welcome," he says, voice strained. "It's an honor to have all of you here."

For his own sake, he ignores the amused leers of the other members of the group and focuses his attention to no-one else but Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri, the de facto leaders of the group. Shigaraki, not one to bother feigning interest, looks at Shouto's extended hand with obvious distaste.

"Big honor or whatever. Shame we missed the opening," he mutters, voice so scratchy that a group of attendants immediately scramble in the periphery with bottles of water. He stares at Shouto's hand for another moment before finally taking it for a handshake, only grasping the distal joints of his fingers with his thumb and forefinger.

"No, not at all. I know you are all preparing for the concert tomorrow," Shouto answers smoothly, trying not to think about how awkward their photos will look the next day.

"Nah, we had enough time, we just didn't wanna be here."

The group explodes in a fit of raucous laughter, one that resonates above the stunned crowd. Shouto tries to keep his face flat and polite, even though he badly wants to leave. Not due to Shigaraki's blatant dismissal, but because Touya's close by, unsmiling, hostility plain in his blue eyes.

It's strange but he can feel the spike of annoyance in his older brother's bloodstream. It tends to rise whenever Shouto is near. It's painful to be hated this much from this close, but he can manage this. If he closes the conversation now, he can step away, let Touya do as he likes, and...

"Is that true? Why, that will make me feel absolutely _terrible…" _

The laughter stops to be replaced by a piercing silence and the echoes of footsteps behind him. The shuffling of steps of what must be an army of personal guards come next, along with it a tautness to the air that is close to snapping.

Yaoyorozu Yoshinori comes to a halt right next to Shouto, with an amicable smile and a subdued yet dangerous aura around him. Eyeing Shigaraki and Kurogiri, he says, "I was the one who insisted on inviting the League here, after all! After your contribution to the success of my daughter's film, I thought it was the least I can do. I'd have to bow down to you in apology if anything is unsatisfactory in our humble little gathering…"

Unminding of how everyone in the entire room is suddenly tense, Shigaraki mumbles, "A humble gathering, he says." But after a warning look from Kurogiri he scratches his face-whether it's a gesture of rudeness or a nervous tic, Shouto couldn't tell. "It was a joke. Calm down."

"A joke!" The elder Yaoyorozu laughs, a jolly sound that his staff and eventually the rest of the room echoes with a nervous energy. "Well, I'm relieved that I've met the expectations of the greatest band in the world!"

Shouto can't find it in himself to laugh despite everyone else joining in, and neither does the younger Yaoyorozu, who only manages a polite noise.

"Now, I thought I knew each and everyone of you from the background checks that we've done for all of you, but I have to say, even with all the reports I got, this is surprising..."

A number of coughs, nervous gasps, and unsubtle _what the fucks _burst from all directions in the room as the unfazed Yaoyorozu patriarch makes a show of looking at each member of the League up and down, unflinching as they leer at him right back. He's relentless with his cool gaze, unafraid of the threat of violence that each member communicates through a number of rude gestures, not stopping until he reaches the one person down the line who got his attention.

"You, sir," he says, staring at Dabi right in the face. "You look very familiar. Have we met before?"

A wave of anxiety overcomes Shouto. Through the painful twisting of his stomach, he hardly registers Yaoyorozu Momo's voice, pleading _"Father- _", immediately shut down with an authoritative finger pointed upwards.

From the corner of his eye, he _feels _Bakugou Katsuki watching them like one watches the shortening wick of a bomb. Secretary Uraraka meets Shouto's eyes for a moment, round eyes shining with worry.

Dabi, unfazed, stares right back at him. "Nope."

Yaoyorozu Yoshinori hums. "Haven't been to Japan much, then, despite being Japanese?"

"Nah. Thought you'd know that from your background checks. Or was that all a joke before?"

Some members of the League chuckle derisively, but again, this Yaoyorozu is unfazed; he even chuckles alongside them, fearlessly placing one heavy hand over his older brother's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I _am _being rude, aren't I? I'm just a little, how do you say… _anxious _if I don't know everything there is to know about anybody breathing the same air as me. The problem is entirely with me, not you." And then, looking over his shoulder, he says, "You know what I mean, Todoroki? It's weird, I feel like I should know this guy but I don't!"

Enji stares at Dabi, face carefully impassive. Dabi glares right back at him, eyes unreadable.

"No," the old man finally says, disinterested. "Never met him before."

A light scoff from Dabi. Yaoyorozu Yoshinori makes a sound of amusement, and then suddenly he's looking at Shouto with that cutting gaze.

"How about you, Shouto? This guy a friend of yours from way before?"

Shouto tries not to meet his brother's gaze as he answers quietly, "We met for the first time to arrange matters for this event."

"I see."

Things are spiraling further out of control, but Shouto's grip over himself is iron-clad. He won't give in to the wave of panic threatening to rise from within the depths of his stomach-not by this man, by his brother, by his father's burning gaze on him. Once this absurd conversation is over, he can regain _control _back. He can carry on like nothing is wrong.

He can-

"Well… if you can't, then surely Secretary Uraraka can shed some light upon this puzzle?"

Shouto feels his heart stunned into silence.

It's not just him-the surroundings erupt into a murmur of _Secretary Uraraka? Who? _And _Why would Yaoyorozu-sama look for her? _

Within the noise in the room, Shouto hears the cracks in Uraraka's voice loud and clear. "M-me?"

Yaoyorozu Yoshinori smiles amicably. "Yes, you. Who else better to ask than you, my dear? Come, come-"

Cornered, she can only come forward, keeping her posture upright, her gaze respectful, her breathing even despite a commanding rumble from Bakugou to stay right where she is. To most she appears the calm and collected secretary who's always at Shouto's side. But as she comes closer he can see the slight tremble in her hands, the tension over her short brows, the taut line over her mouth-small things he's picked up over the years of working with her that tells him loud and clear that she is afraid.

"You look surprised," the elder Yaoyorozu says as soon as she's close enough. "Did you expect me not to know who you were? I know everything about you, Uraraka-san, including the fact that you're leaving Endeavor soon. A shame, really, given all your skills..."

Uraraka quietly affirms this, wisely choosing not to add anything more.

"So you have been Shouto's secretary for… nine years now? Or have you two known each other for longer than that?"

Shouto clenches his fist at his side.

"I have worked for Director Todoroki for nine years," she answers, bowing. "I am surprised, but honored that you would remember so."

"Wonderful." The elder Yaoyorozu pats her at the back amicably. "As Shouto's secretary, you have the difficult task of assisting him in all his businesses, his affairs, knowing everything there is to know about him..."

A pause, and then he forces Uraraka to face Dabi, who finally, finally flinches underneath Yaoyorozu Yoshinori's gaze.

"So, same thing," the scion says as Uraraka stiffens in fear. The tension in Dabi's hands tell Shouto that something regrettable is going to happen, soon. "You're going to be very honest with me right? Have the two of you ever-"

_"Enough. _"

He speaks softly. His voice shouldn't have cut through the air the way it did, like a knife through flesh. Within the momentary confusion that follows and the haziness in Shouto's vision where his body moves entirely on his own, his senses come back to him too late.

When he comes to, he's holding someone's wrist, pulling them harshly to his back.

"Excuse me?"

Facing Yaoyorozu Yoshinori, he knows better than to do anything else but to keep his mouth shut, especially with Enji and Touya and Yaoyorozu Momo nearby. But this-Secretary Uraraka-

"Enough… _Uncle _," he says, voice low. Something in his gaze makes the men behind him flinch. "Don't treat my secretary this way."

Yaoyorozu Yoshinori smiles calmly above the air of confusion. "This way, you say? I'm merely asking her a question."

"She does not need to answer that."

He shrugs. "So is it more prudent to ask her close friend Bakugou Katsuki instead?" He laughs. "It seems that he's been itching to say something for a while now. Strange for someone who's a surprise guest, himself."

"Damn right," Bakugou says, stepping into the mess. He looks like he has a lot of detrimental things to say, so before he can open his mouth, Shouto interrupts him.

"No, he doesn't. He has absolutely nothing to say about this." Fighting the numbness blooming from within him, Shouto bows in front of the scion. "Excuse me. I must speak with my secretary alone."

He doesn't wait for anyone to say anything more. Through the sudden white noise in his head, he makes his way past the murmuring crowd, the stunned staff, the rest of the faceless masses.

"Director Todoroki… I'm sorry if I didn't handle that well," Uraraka whispers beside him, voice unsteady.

"No… none of this is your fault," he says, squeezing her hand. As her hand continues to tremble in his, all he can think of is the need to protect her from all of them-that man, Enji, Hawks, Touya-

"Oi, you bastard, what the fuck? What are you planning to do to her?!"

-Bakugou Katsuki.

_Shit, _he thinks, coming to a halt as he hears the heavy, angry footsteps of the reporter behind him.

"Bakugou-kun," Uraraka says softly, hand stilling within Shouto's grasp. "I'm fine okay? The Director and I just need to talk…"

"Like fuck you do," Bakugou snarls. The guy is always angry as a rule, but now the violence within him surges like heat from an angry furnace directed only at Shouto. "Hey, idiot, what the hell was that shit you just pulled?!"

The shit he just pulled? Shouto feels something ugly rise from within him. He's trying to protect Secretary Uraraka, isn't he? What right does this guy have to tell him off for that?

"Protect her? _Protect her?! _Are you making me laugh?!" Bakugou does anyway, cold and sarcastic and fucking _angry _that it baffles Shouto how brazen he is. "Idiot! You were so defensive that you just made the head of the fucking Yaoyorozu Group suspicious of her!"

"Don't speak as if it is any of your business."

"Oh, you think this has nothing to do with me, rich boy?!" His teeth are bared so much that he looks like he has a psychotic smile on his face. "You think you're the only one here who can help her? Well let me tell you something, you half-and-half bastard-"

"_ Bakugou-kun, please stop, _" Uraraka pleads, shrinking at Shouto's side. "I promise I'm okay. Please."

A crowd is beginning to form around them, far enough away that they can't hear the details of their conversation, but close enough that they see the twisted expression on Bakugou's face and the cold anger in Shouto's eyes. Behind them, a number of armed men in suits surround them at the edges of his vision, carefully assessing the situation.

"Uraraka." Bakugou's voice goes down an octave lower, a hundred decibels softer. A pause, and then, "You have to get the fuck out of here. You know that, right?"

Uraraka seems to ponder upon his words, as vague as they are to Shouto's ears. She shakes her head. "My job here isn't done yet."

A strange look descends upon Bakugou's face, something akin to defeat that takes Shouto aback. The beginnings of his voice rasping out another word gets cut off by camera flashes, stronger murmurs from the crowd.

_Shit. _In the haze of his anger and anxiety it was easy to forget where they were. It isn't ideal for anyone to see him arguing with Bakugou Katsuki for many reasons, but he could manage it. If Secretary Uraraka were further implicated in this mess though-

"Shouto, Uraraka-san, Bakugou-san-what on earth is happening?"

Shouto tries to keep his face flat as Yaoyorozu Momo steps into the fray, heels clacking. Cameras flash more furiously than ever, and Shouto decides that this situation cannot possibly get worse.

Bakugou clicks his tongue sharply. In a voice he's barely able to control, he snaps, "What the fuck does it look like, Ponytail?! This bastard-this genius of an ex-boyfriend of yours made shit happen, that's what-"

_Ponytail? _

"Whatever it is, Bakugou-san, I hardly think causing a scene like this is necessary," Yaoyorozu says, a subtle sharpness to her tone. "All this attention the two of you are gaining will not be… favorable."

"Favorable." Shouto faces Yaoyorozu, voice no less cutting than hers. "For whom, exactly? I thought something was odd earlier. Did you lie to me about not knowing Bakugou, Yaoyorozu?"

Yaoyorozu stares at him with a level gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about," she repeats.

"It ain't your fucking business Icyhot," Bakugou snarls, voice loud enough that the murmurs around them escalate. The crowd around them are not subtle about listening in, with about twenty phones recording their entire exchange, but Shouto suddenly does _not _give a fuck.

"Director, I'm sure that they didn't mean any harm," Uraraka whispers beside him. "Please calm down."

It's too late. Shouto's hold on his common sense is gone now, snapped past the point of no return by the feeling of betrayal. "You-do you think that your presence here is welcome? Do you think that all those corporations you took down, the reputation you've built around yourself-do you think all that _shit _is good for her?!"

He's saying too much. Already the reporters around them are looking at each other in alarm, mouthing "_ Who are they talking about? Who is 'her'? Why are they fighting?" _The last thing they need is for this mess to appear in the gossip columns. If Uraraka is cast in the public eye, who knows what terrible things these vultures are going to dig out about her. Shouto will never forgive himself if it comes to that, yet he bites his tongue a touch too late.

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid-do you _want _these fucking extras to know-"

Bakugou's fist moves, aiming right at his face to stop him from speaking. He needs to do it, Shouto gets it. He doesn't plan to dodge from it, although his arm tenses at his side, hand forming into a fist and ready to retaliate.

Neither of them get a chance. A sharp pain hits Shouto in the face the next moment, from a hand that is definitely _not _Bakugou's.

Uraraka gasps next to him, hands covering her mouth as Shouto raises his hand to soothe the sting.

Yaoyorozu's eyes flare in front of him in a way he never thought was possible. She draws her hand back, somehow still regal as she does so, before she faces Bakugou.

"Ponytail, what the fuck do you think you're-"

Another slap, just as loud, cuts through the air and silences the hubbub around them. Bakugou swears under his breath, teeth bared at Yaoyorozu. He manages an offended sputter as he holds his stinging cheek.

Shouto stares at his friend in shock. She ignores his questioning gaze as well as Bakugou's as she shakes her hand subtly from the soreness of her palm. When she looks up, there's genuine remorse in her eyes, directed only at one person in this mess:

"Secretary Uraraka." Her voice is full of regret that Uraraka visibly flinches from it. "This is my mistake. I did not foresee things to happen like this. This is all I can do for you now."

"Yaoyorozu-san…" Uraraka sounds so _lost _beside him. "I don't understand."

She smiles briefly, different from all the shallow smiles expected of an actress like her. "It's alright now. I've got this handled." And then, a little louder, a little colder, she declares: "We should rethink things between us, Director Todoroki. I apologize for wasting your time."

Scandalized gasps surround her as she adjusts her furs around her shoulders and starts to walk away from them. Shouto is able to pick up a few phrases here and there-"_ Oh my god, is TodoMomo done for good?! Did Yaomomo just dump his ass because of his secretary? Or is it because of-" _

"Katsuki," Yaoyorozu calls, a command disguised as a sweet sing-song. "Whatever are you standing around there for? "

Bakugou snaps out of a trance to glare at Yaoyorozu. "Who the fuck do you think you-"

"I am _not _going to say it twice, darling." An elegant toss of her hair over her shoulder, no doubt a move to steal the media's attention further away from Uraraka. "If you stay there any longer I shall have to take a raincheck on your proposition."

_"Proposition?! Oh my god, Yaomomo and Bakugou Katsuki are-" _

It takes a moment for the two bewildered men to make sense of her behavior, but when it does, Shouto and Bakugou utter a curse under their breaths simultaneously:

_Fuck. She changed the narrative and turned the tables on us, just like that. _

It's clear then, despite his wishes to do the opposite, Bakugou has no choice but to leave Shouto alone with Uraraka and to follow the woman out of there. Nevertheless, he spares another moment to glare at Shouto with ill intent.

"This isn't fucking over," he mutters under his breath, as he shoves his hands in his pockets and storms out of the hall.

The commotion is over before anyone knows it. The party around them picks up as if nothing happened, all while Shouto struggles to keep his head from spinning.

Nothing about this is good. This is all his fault-losing his cool, falling back into jealousy and the bitter self he swore to abandon. He's no good for her. He's not-

A gentle tug at his sleeve breaks the cycle of anxious thoughts, dragging him back to the present. Blinking, he takes sight of the empty hallway, brown eyes, pink cheeks.

"Director," Uraraka's soft voice rises beside him. "I think we need some fresh air."

* * *

The most important thing is to take Director Todoroki out of there.

Ochako knew just the place: a small balcony designed to be hidden, tucked at the other end of the gallery and accessible by a winding passageway. She doubted that anybody else knew about it, as she only learned about it by studying the blueprints before the event. Thanks to the commotion that Yaomomo instigated, nobody paid them enough attention to follow them out. It was perfect.

Here, under the open air and the silence of the night sky, Director Todoroki can take a deep breath and rearrange his thoughts.

For the past nine years, Ochako has watched him descend to that dangerous place rarely-whether it's an accidental view of a kettle or a troublesome encounter with the Chairman. It's hard to tell sometimes when he's going there. There's only this certain weight to his silence, a freezing to his heart that tells her that he's spinning out of control.

She felt that weight more frequently these past few weeks. Dabi, for one, and then the night where she found him staring into nothingness in front of her apartment. And now…

"Uraraka."

"Director," she replies, with a comforting smile. "Are you okay now?"

Director Todoroki looks over the city below, pale hands gripping the railing of the balcony. Ochako edges closer to him, eyes on his profile, on the careful flutter of his eyelashes as he fights the haziness in his vision.

"I should be asking you that," he mutters, frustration edging his voice. "All that can't have been easy for you."

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry… I think if I had answered Chairman Yaoyorozu better, none of that would have happened."

"You know that's not true," he murmurs, eyes distant. "I made a mess of things. Made you visible under everybody else's scrutiny, even though it's my burden to bear. Bakugou was right."

How terrible he must feel for him to say that Bakugou was right.

"I'm okay. I promise I am. Please don't worry about me."

He makes a soft noise. "You're always inclined to worry about me first, aren't you, Uraraka? You really have a talent in being my secretary, being the way you are. It's too bad…"

A lump forms at the pit of Ochako's stomach as the Director trails off into nothingness. "Too bad?" she asks, with uncertainty.

He gazes upon the distance for a moment more, eyes steadily clearing up. When he regards her again, finally meets her eyes, there's a wan smile on his mouth. It feels like he turns his thoughts over in his head once, twice, thrice before he finally speaks.

"Nine years," he says, voice thin. "Nine years that I've selfishly kept you at my side. Nine years that I made you worry about me. What is all that time for, if I've never learned to do a simple thing like keeping you safe?"

His voice sounds so… weak, so unlike him that the floor underneath her is suddenly unsteady and the welling in her stomach, unbearable. All she can do is stare at him, stunned, as he struggles with his thoughts again.

"You're still looking for the right person to marry," he says, after a long silence. "There are other things you want to do, too. I must have wasted your time thanks to my selfishness. But it's not too late, Uraraka. Bakugou-"

"-Director-"

"-_ Bakugou Katsuki, _" he interrupts, fingers tightening on the ledge. "I dislike him, I probably always will, but even I can see that he has nothing but good intentions for you. He has known you for such a short time, but he's sure of you immediately."

"-_ Director- _"

"He won't waste your time." Todoroki gazes upon her pleadingly. "Not like I have. Not like I will, because of… of the way I am."

His hand comes up to touch his scar, and Ochako can feel the loneliness surrounding him, a dark cloud upon his shoulders. She sort of wants to cry seeing him like this.

"Director," she says quietly. "That's not fair. You're convincing yourself of all these things to push me away, but you can't, okay? I won't let you."

She gathers a bit of her courage here, herself. Slowly she steps into his space, close enough so that she can reach up to his left hand covering his scar, so that he's looking into her eyes and nothing else.

"Why..." he whispers, baffled. "Why would you want to stay with someone like me?"

Why? There's only so much she can say about that. There's the nine years they spent together, understanding each other through thick and thin. The past few weeks where Ochako's world has turned upside down and inside out. The mess of feelings she never thought she'd feel-all the ups and downs and in-betweens when he proposed to her, took her out on a date, fought with her, fought for her, spoke with her, held her hand-

As confusing as the world is around them, Ochako is sure about one thing when it comes to Todoroki Shouto.

"I love you," she says, with all her heart. "I think I have, for a long time now."

His eyes widen under her gaze.

"I may not be sure about a lot of other things, but I'm sure of how I feel about you." She inhales, tries to get rid of the shakiness in her voice. "And I want to stay with you. So please…"

She trails off when she feels his hand pressing over hers, putting her palms in full contact over scarred skin. Todoroki's eyes are closed, as if relishing the warmth of her touch.

"Uraraka," he says, after a long and intimate silence. "Uraraka Ochako. You don't know how long I've wanted to say the same thing."

And then, as natural as breathing, he leans in closer to her. The space between them slowly, slowly disappears.

His hands come up to hold her face, and he finally kisses her.

And, _oh, _how long has she waited for this. The kiss is chaste, just his mouth gently touching hers, yet her skin feels like it's on fire.

It's not enough-she leans in closer, wrapping her arms around his neck so she can hold him a little closer, kiss him a little deeper. He obliges, lifts her in his arms to keep their faces level, making a soft noise that she feels against her mouth and makes her heart beat wildly in her chest, as if it knows that she has finally found who she's looking for.

She loves him, she loves Todoroki Shouto, she does. She feels it in the core of her bones, feels it in her elated soul threatening to fly her to the moon. She feels it when they finally break the kiss and breathe the same air and stare into each other's eyes, baffled and overjoyed at the same time.

"Uraraka," he whispers again, smiling against the skin of her neck. "I love you. Stay with me."

She smiles right back and kisses him again. "Okay... okay."

The air around them is cold, but she remains warm in his embrace. She holds onto him for as long as the night permits them.

* * *

**_AN: _**_so,,,, 120k or so words later... they finally kiss :D I'M SO HAPPY WE REACHED THIS PART of the storYYYY, take that 16-chapter-curseeeeee_

_How are you guys? I hope COVID isn't causing you too much trouble where you are. I'm in extreme lockdown conditions myself! But now I have time to write, hopefully I can update this story while the community quarantines are ongoing._

_I'm really very sleepy right now and will probably edit this note later but i just want to say thank you so much for your continued words of encouragement. They make me happy and make me want to work hard for this story despite my tendency to be anxious about my outputs. So there,,,, let me know if I did the scenes here any justice, or if there's things I need to improve on, etc etc_

_See you in the next update!_


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